


the sparkling diamond

by RollingThunder06



Category: Hadestown - Mitchell
Genre: Also tw for alcohol, F/F, F/M, also lots of sketchy people and greek mythology refs, also year is 1901, and it feels appropriate, cause moulin rouge takes place in 1900, come on guys it moulin rouge what were you expecting, moulin rouge esc hadestown, ok but, other gods make appearances - Freeform, this isn’t a terrible idea, tw for drugs, tw for sex, tw for violence but not too graphic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-08
Updated: 2020-03-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:01:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 23
Words: 67,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23061376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RollingThunder06/pseuds/RollingThunder06
Summary: The moment he saw her his jaw dropped. Her voice was like liquid diamonds, her beauty exquisite beyond compare.And Hades could swear she was looking at him.
Relationships: Eurydice & Persephone (Hadestown), Eurydice/Orpheus (Hadestown), Hades/Persephone (Hadestown), Hermes & Orpheus (Hadestown), Hermes & Persephone (Hadestown)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 63





	1. welcome, welcome!

How in hell had Hades ended up _here?_

How had his brothers managed to drag him to a gentleman’s club of all places for their semi-annual family meeting? It was flashy and bright, two things he despised and the show hadn’t even started yet. He took a generous sip of the whiskey placed in front of him by a waiter, the brown liquor going smoothly and spreading a warmth throughout his body.

Of course they’d serve liquor here. Despite the current political upheaval around it, of course they’d serve liquor in a place like this. It wasn’t a surprise. 

The lights dimmed, and Hades could hear his brothers chatter mixed with the background noise of the crowd on the ground. They were sat in a box of some sort, more of a raised booth than anything else. 

A sharp twang of pain ran through Hades’ shoulder, and he turned his head to see Zeus nudging him and roughly trying for his attention. “Show’s bought to start.” He said, in his confident but drunk tone. 

Hades rolled his eyes. He didn’t share his brothers gaze for women, much like he didn’t share their passion for adultery. Not that he was married to begin with. 

His family teased him mercilessly for his loneliness, not that he let it bother him. Maybe he destined to be alone. It surely seemed to suit him so far. 

A steady drumroll started, pounding the crowd into silence. The club was plunged into darkness, save for the small lamps on each table. 

_”Ladies and Gentleman, may we present the muses!”_

Spot lights went up onto the stage, showcasing at least ten women in sparking corsets and garters. The orchestra began playing all at once, and each of the woman sang harmonizing perfectly with the others.

Hades couldn’t seem to find interest in the dancing below him, not even as the lights threw back on and dozens of other dancers came out. The orchestra faded into the sounds of a big country band, and the rest of the crowd cheered for one dancer or the other.

The women were talented, of course, but not stunning enough to grab his full attention. He couldn’t see the appeal that his married brothers did. He felt guilty being here with them. If it were up to him he would never have set foot in a place like this. 

His brothers, particularly Zeus, treated women like objects. To be bought, used, and silenced. It disgusted him. A life was worth more than that, more than to be used by a bored married man. 

The show passed under him, only catching his attention when the lights completely went down again and the orchestra came to an abrupt stop. He looked down, expecting to see the performers lining up again. It was dead silent, no sigh of anyone moving on the stage.

”What’s going on?” Hades whispered to Zeus, his annoyance undeniable. If he had to be stuck here, you’d think the show would at least be entertaining or for that matter, at least continue.

“You’ll see.” Zeus replied, both him and Poseidon drunkenly snickering. Hades rolled his eyes, taking another sip of his drink. “This ‘outa be good.” He mumbled almost silently to himself.

The drums suddenly came to life in a drum roll, silencing the crowd’s murmuring.

_”Ladies and Gentlemen, Aristocrats and Artists. Bohemians and Wonderers. May I present the natural beauty, the crowning jewel, the sparking diamond, our very own goddess,”_

The composer held out his last word for dramatic effect. The drums suddenly silenced. 

_”, Persephone!”_

Another performer for his his brothers to fawn over. Hades took another sip of his drink as the orchestra started up again in the complete darkness. This would most likely be just like the show was before, nothing stunning enough to really perk his attention-

_“Diamonds are Forever,”_

A beautiful voice rang through the club. 

_”They are all I need to please me,”_

A voice rich like honey, as stunning and sharp a diamond itself.

_”They can stimulate and tease me,”_

The club was still in complete darkness, a spotlight monetarily blinding Hades as it went to shine on the singer.

_”They won’t leave in the night, I’ve no fear that they might, desert me,”_

Hades’ heart skipped a beat. 

She was _gorgeous._

_”Diamonds are forever,”_

A corset strung with diamonds and jewels glittered in a sharp contrast to her honey colored skin. A beautiful glittering train lined with black feathers wrapped around her legs. She sparkled under the spotlights. 

_”Hold one up, and than caress it,”_

She gently touched the diamond necklace that was draped across her neck. Hades’ breath hitched. 

_“Touch it, stroke it, and undress it,”_

A coy smile spread across the singer, _Persephone’s_ ,face, her eyes almost looking to tempt whoever she caught eyes with. 

_”I can see every part, nothing hides in the dark,”_

Hades flustered.

She was looking at him.

_”To hurt me,”_

The band picked up, mixing with the orchestra flawlessly. 

_”Diamonds are forever and ever and ever,”_

The lights suddenly flashed on, and only then did Hades actually see the stage. Dozens of other performers ran out, and the tone of music completely changed.

_”I don’t know about you boys, been hangin’ around, this old man hole is bringin’ ya down,”_

She made her way into the audience, and Hades suddenly wished he was sitting below.

_”Six feet under, gettin’ under your skin,”_

Hades was jealous of the men she walked, running her hand around their shoulders. Jealous of the woman who she stroked the cheek of.

_”Cabin fever, is a settin’ in,”_

Then her eyes caught his again. The world seemed to fall from under him while he was under her gaze. She was mesmerizing.

_”I can give ya, what it is ya crave,”_

She winked at him. His heart skipped several beats. 

_”A little somethin’ from the good old days,”_

”Like what you see?” Zeus whispered, and Hades almost yelled at him for diverting his attention away from Persephone. Nothing was as important as the woman below him, certainly not his brother. Hades gave a slight nod, turning his attention back. 

_“I got the wind right here in a jar, I’ve got the rain on tap at the bar,”_

Hades could swear she was looking a him, and he straightened up. Something about her _intrigued_ him. He couldn’t take his eyes away. 

_”I got sunshine up on shelf,”_

A spotlight fastened back on Persephone, her diamond corset blinding. Hades could see her more vividly now, and she stole his breath again.

_”Allow me to introduce myself,”_

Persephone did a little bow, still smiling and keeping eye contact with Hades. 

_”Brother, what’s my name, my name is,”_

The entire company of performers and the crowd chimed in with the response, “ _Our Lady of the Underground_ ,”. 

_”Brother, what’s my name?”_

The crowd chimed in again, but her gaze remained on him. _Why?_

Of all the men in the boxes, Hades must have been the least interesting. He didn’t drape himself in wealth, and wasn’t particularly handsome. Why was such a beautiful woman looking at him? 

_”Wanna know my name? I’ll tell you my name,”_

She stalled, and the drums gave her a roll. The spotlight flashed again in perfect timing.

_”Persephone!”_

The crowd cheered loudly, but Hades couldn’t pull his attention away enough to clap. Persephone smiled and winked once again at Hades before finally taking her gaze away.

The instruments played alone for a few moments, before Persephone started again. 

_”Come ‘ere brother, lemme guess,”_

She walked behind a man in the crowd, teasing him with the feathers on the end of her skirt. Gods, Hades wished that was him. 

_”It’s the little things, ya miss,”_

She stroked the man’s cheek with a teasing grin. Hades’ teeth clenched. 

_”Spring flowers, autumn leaves, ask me brother and ya shall receive,”_

Persephone moved next to the man and for a second Hades thought she might kiss him. Instead, she ducked down and kissed the cheek of the giggling lady next to him. 

_“Or maybe these, just ain’t enough, maybe you’re lookin’ for some stronger stuff,”_

Hades took another sip of his drink, watching Persephone dance and sing at the men and women below. Something tugged at him, along with the urge to deck whoever she touched next.

_Jealousy._

_”I got a sight for the sorest eyes,”_

Her gaze met his again briefly, before she turned back to the woman she was currently teasing with her feathers.

How could he be jealous for a woman he’d never met? But the way she looked at him was, _tempting._ It was as if they’d know each other forever and shared a familiar gaze.

_”Wipe away your tears, sister. I know how ya feel,”_

Hades didn’t process the rest of the song. He couldn’t remember the words if he tried. But he could vividly remember her. Every movement, every second, every look, _everything._

The club was abuzz with chatter again while the crowd waited in anticipation for the next round of numbers to start. 

”You wanna meet her?” Zeus asked, drunkenly poking at his arm. Hades would have broke his finger if he weren’t so distracted. “Meet who?” He asked gruffly, taking another sip of his drink.

”Persephone of course.”

Hades almost choked.

”Excuse me-“ He started, trying to smoothly recover. “I ain’t an idiot, I saw you starin’. Go backstage and meet ‘er, I’m sure she’d love you.” Zeus and Poseidon both broke into laughter. Hades clenched his fist.

Much to his dismay, his brother was right. He wanted to meet her. But he was also right in the other case.

Hades wasn’t spectacular, and paled when compared to his more luxurious younger brothers. What would a woman like that want with him? He had been the one watching her. 

But then again, she had stared back.

________________

Backstage was unbearably loud, dozens of men and women moving and chatting while on their breaks. 

Persephone hated it.

Her dressing room muffled the noise, but it still was enough to make her head pound. Persephone continued with the new makeup she was applying for her next number. 

She sighed, looking in the mirror. She didn’t look like herself in all this. She didn’t feel like herself either. She rarely did anymore.

There was a knock at the door, and Persephone rolled her eyes assuming it was one of the girls needing help with their costumes. “Come in!” She called, putting down her makeup brush.

The person that entered however, was not one of the girl.

”How may I help you, mister-” Persephone started, standing up and putting a smile on to cover her surprise. 

”-Hades.” 

”How may I help you mister _Hades_?“

She recognized him. He was that handsome white haired man from the box that hadn’t taken his eyes off her the whole performance. Not that she’d been much better. 

He had intrigued her, she had done the same. He looked different than the rest of the rich men in the boxes. Like he belonged, but not quite enough. He was different. 

”I-I wanted to meet you.” 

Persephone’s hand curled around one of her hair pins on the vanity. _Just in case._

Her heart dropped, but her smile remained steady. 

__

He wasn’t different. He was like all the other men with wondering eyes that thought they’d get their pleasure during intermission, whether she wanted to give it or not.

__

”I don’t provide that service,” _Unless you can pay._ “, but there are several other girls that would.”

__

If it were up to her she’d never provide that service, but it wasn’t. Her love was for the highest bidder, that was the rule. She was their sparking diamond, that was very rarely rented out due to her price.

__

But there was always someone willing to pay, just like there was always someone ready to take.

__

Hades looked confused at her statement, before taking a step closer. “I- That’s not what I meant. I-I just....you were amazing.” Persephone’s grip only tightened on the pin. 

__

”I’m not that type of person, truly. I just...well, I wanted to pay you a complement.” Normally Persephone wouldn’t believe it. Men lie. They manipulate to get what they want. 

__

But something about this felt different. Something about _him_ felt different.

__

”You came all the way back here to pay me a compliment?” She asked, her coy tone attempting to hide her distrust. Or was it surprise?

Hades nodded, and her grip on the pin loosened. “I’ve never seen you before. First time?” Persephone pressed, turning her back to him to resume getting ready.

She watched Hades fidget in the corner of her eye. She made him nervous. _Good._

”Yes- well, sort of. It wasn’t my first choice of location.” Hades seemed to regret his choice of words and Persephone laughed. “Not that there’s anything wrong with-“ 

”Your just not that type of man.” 

Hades looked flustered at her use of his previous words. Persephone grinned. 

”Well- I...yes.” Persephone put the last pin in her hair, and the sounds of backstage grew louder. Someone pounded on her door and yelled a five minute warning. 

”If you’ll excuse me, _Mister Hades_ , but that’s my cue.” She shrugged off her robe, and Hades stared open mouthed at her next costume, a pink and gold dress almost identical to the previous but with more diamonds.

”Oh-Of course. It was my pleasure Miss Persephone.” He collected himself and left, and Persephone followed short after. 

He wouldn’t leave her head however. Something about him wouldn’t leave her be. He was kind. _Handsome_. 

The halls were crowded with performers and costumes, and Persephone slid by them and towards the stairs up. She almost cleared the can-can dancers before a noise stopped her.

It was a cough. A horrid and painful sounding cough. 

_Damn it, girl._

Persephone backtracked, and hiding behind one of the costume racks was a short and slight girl with cropped black hair clutching a handkerchief.

”Honey, go home.” Persephone said gently, the girl before her wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth. “Seph, I need tonight’s pay.” The girl said in a hoarse voice.

”If you won’t go home, then go rest. I’ll cover for you, I won’t let them dock your pay. Take my dressing room.”

”I can’t ask you to-“ 

”Eurydice, we ain’t fightin’ about this. Go.” 

Eurydice scurried off towards the rooms, and Persephone continued up to the stage. She took a deep breath as the instruments warmed before her entrance.

_I’m not like that._

They were all like that weren’t they? Persephone was used to the warmth of intrigue in the pit of her stomach. It would fade in time. 

But part of her didn’t want it too.


	2. sympathy for the dancer

”Who sent _those?”_

”Never mind that.” Persephone rapped, pulling her hair back. “They look expensive.” Persephone looked across the the vanity at the bouquet of red carnations. “You seein’ someone, Seph? Or did you get another..” Eurydice continued, making a gesture with her hands.

”Like I said, never mind them.” Persephone couldn’t answer the girl. To be honest, she didn’t know how to.

Every night so far this week a bouquet of red carnations had greeted her after the show. Every night he had been in the audience. _For her._

In the same box he was there. Tonight he had been wearing a blue tie clip with a sapphire in the center. They hadn’t broken eye contact almost the entire time she was on stage.

She didn’t want to look away. Apparently neither had he.

Eurydice opened her mouth to say something else, but broke into a coughing fit instead. Persephone stood up, rubbing the girl’s back. “Hon, you’re seeing the doctor, right?” She asked gently, running one hand through Eurydice’s short hair. 

”Once. I can’t afford more than that.” Eurydice answered after a few moments, wiping with her mouth with her handkerchief. 

Persephone’s brows furrowed. “I told you not to worry about the money, love.” She said, soft but forcefully. Eurydice pulled out of her arms and Persephone resumed getting dressed. 

”You don’t make much more then me. I can’t ask you to waste it.”

”That’s bullshit and you know it. It ain’t a waste of my money to make sure you stay alive girl.”

Eurydice was right though. She barely made enough to cover her rent, much less doctor bills for someone else. But her suffering and falling under for a bit was better then what would inevitably happen if Eurydice didn’t get help. 

Persephone fastened her blouse, reaching for her coat. It was getting colder, which meant she’d have to start paying her heat soon. Or that she’d have to start sleeping in her dressing room again.

”C’mon we gotta go, it’s getting late.” Eurydice said stifling a cough and heading to the door. “You go. I’ll see you tomorrow at rehearsal.” 

The young girl left, leaving Persephone alone with her thoughts and a bouquet of red carnations. There was card inside, but she hadn’t read it yet. Part of her didn’t want too. 

Part of her did.

Part of her wanted him to come through her dressing room door again. But part of her was scared he was just like the other men. 

That the flowers were part of a trick to win her trust so he could abuse it. 

Even if it wasn’t. Even if they were a gift from a good man who didn’t want to hurt her, she was still scared.

_Men buy your love. You can’t give anything more._

”You decent?” A voice called from behind her door giving it a loud knock. Persephone sighed, sliding down into the vanity chair.

”It matter?” 

”Not really. Seen it all before.” 

Persephone snickered as her door opened and a tall, young, and muscular man entered the dressing room. He was in a red suit, clearly very worn and old. 

”Who sent those?” He asked, gesturing to her red carnations. He placed a bottle of whiskey on the vanity and Persephone’s heart dropped.

She knew what it meant. What he wanted when he brought her alcohol. 

”Why the hell is everyone so concerned about me gettin’ flowers?” He raised his hands in defeat, pulling out the other chair. 

“So, Dionysus, what’s his name?” She’d never let it slip that she was scared. That as her almost brother poured her a glass of whiskey her heart leaped into her throat.

”Take a couple, then we’ll talk.” 

Persephone shot back her glass, the warmth of the liquor settling in the pit of her stomach. Her nerves started to settle, the more liquor she consumed the quicker and the better. 

“Ya gonna start?” Persephone rapped, and Dionysus poured out another glass. “One more, then we’ll talk.” 

She scowled, throwing back the liquor. 

Dionysus looked satisfied and refilled their glasses. “A mister Ares, a duke of something or another. He’s payin’ good, Seph.” 

She couldn’t care less about the money. The warmth faded, replacing itself with disgust. “When?” She asked through clenched teeth. 

”Monday, after the show.”

One night. She could handle one night.

”He wants courting privilege for after.” 

Persephone’s heart dropped again. She felt sick. “He wants _what_?” She hissed, her grip almost shattering her glass.

”Privileges.” Dionysus responded coolly. “But you said no, right?” Her was voice quiet. Of course they said yes, it would be stupid to turn it down. Of course they wouldn’t refuse.

”Seph-“ 

Her blood boiled.

”You _sold_ me! For how long?”

Persephone had risen out of her seat, ready to bring her glass down on Dionysus’ head if needed.

She hated this. She hated her life, she hated her boss, she hated the awful men that payed for it all. Wasn’t it enough for them to force her hand for one night? What would be so important that they’d need to prolong it until the man saw fit? 

”You know I can’t answer that. Before you kill me please just hear me out,” Dionysus started, taking the glass from her hand. “The club’s going under and Mister Ares is willing to dig us out. Just keep him happy, once it’s done you can stop. I promise.” 

Persephone sat, and Dionysus grabbed her hand. “You know I tried to get you out of it right?” She nodded. “But the bosses insisted, they just sent me to tell you. I’m sorry.” 

It didn’t matter whether he was sorry or not. Persephone knew he had as little control over things as she did. 

Dionysus reached for the bottle, preparing to leave. “Leave it.” Persephone said dryly, staring blankly across the take at the bouquet of carnations. 

She heard the door close, and stood, plucking a flower from the bouquet. She stared down at it before sticking it behind her ear and carefully undoing the buttons to her coat. 

There was no way she was leaving tonight.

The bottle of whiskey was a familiar weight in her hand. A familiar way to make her hate her life less. A familiar way to pass the time quicker.

She pulled out a vase from under her vanity for the bouquet, tearing off the parchment and string from the flowers. 

Sometimes it felt like she was a bouquet of flowers.

Something that sat on display for it’s beauty. Something that slowly died every damn day, and was suffocated just for someone bigger’s amusement.

At least the flowers got to wilt in the end.

_______________

Hades had never been nervous.

The door to backstage creaked open at his touch, the rowdy sounds of the performers seeped through. Hades took a breath. 

Once again, Hades had never been the nervous type. That was until now.

His hand flexed on the bouquet of flowers he was holding. Red carnations, like every other bouquet he’d sent to her dressing room every day this week. The only difference was that he finally worked up the damn courage to give it to her himself.

He walked in silence, pushing past the dancers changing out of there costumes. The Saturday night show had ended a few minutes ago, but Hades had left his seat early. 

He gently knocked on the door, half-expecting her not to answer.

Who did he think was? Sending her flowers and love letters after only meeting once. Gods, she must of thought he was a fool. 

”Come in.” 

She was sat at the vanity in a floral robe, her curls falling over her shoulder. She was stunning. 

”Pleasure to see you again Mister Hades.” Persephone said, turning around to face him. Hades felt his mouth go dry. “Pleasure’s all mine. You- you were remarkable tonight.” 

Persephone blushed, a small smile spreading across her face. “Thank you for the flowers.” She hesitated, “And the note.” 

Hades froze. 

He’d never expected her to actually read it. His pulse quickened. 

”I...You’re welcome.” 

Persephone smiled, starting to pin her hair up. Hades watched intently as she stuck pins in the curls, and the a few fell out to frame her face.

Every movement she made was breathtaking, and spread an unfamiliar warmth down his body. 

”Do you have any plans for tomorrow?” He asked, trying to push down his feeling and continue a decent conversation. “I do actually, I’m picking up my Nephew from the train station.” Hades nodded, watching Persephone carefully.

Every once of him wanted her. Not to warm his bed, but to _know_. To spend time with, and talk to. Hades wanted to know what made her smile, what her laugh sounded like. 

”Would you do me the honor of accompanying me to dinner?”

His words were quick, as if they would die if he didn’t get them out fast enough.

She looked confused briefly. “I told you before,” Persephone started, rising from her chair. “Not like that. I...I want to take you out proper.” He was almost begging her.

She stared at him for a few moments, with a brow raised. Hades was shaking. 

He had never been nervous before. But this woman terrified him. He needed her, but what if she didn’t want him back? 

“Alright, Mister Hades. Just let me change.” 

”Oh-Of course.” Hades swiftly turned around, earning a light laugh from behind him. “A true gentleman, aren’t ya?” He could hear her mumble.

Hades could hear her move around the room, presumably gathering her clothes and let out a breath he wasn’t aware he was holding.

She said _yes._

”You can turn back around now.” Hades did and smiled. She was wearing a dark green coat, and the color looked stunning on her. “You look lovely.” He mused, reaching his arm out for hers.

”Thank you. Ain’t so bad yourself.” She took his arm and they walked out the door into a much less crowded hallway. The other performers seemed to have either left or rallied to their dressing rooms. 

Hades opened to door to the outside, and the night air stung. “Where are we going?” Persephone asked, walking closely to Hades. The streets were dark except for the gas lamps, and the occasional light pouring out from open pub doors. 

Hades laughed. He’d never thought she’d say yes, so he hadn’t picked a restaurant. “You can pick, you probably know this area better then I do.” 

Persephone laughed too. “Well I suppose.” Her laugh was warm and inviting. It was the most beautiful noise that Hades had ever heard.

”My cousin owns a place a few blocks down,” She offered. “It’s small, but it’s damn good.” 

”Sounds perfect.” They walked with Persephone leading the way down the streets. Hades smiled, unable to take his eyes from the woman accompanying him. 

They abruptly stopped in front of a small place, with golden light streaming out of the windows. Hades held the door for Persephone, and stepped inside after. 

The pub was bright and covered in light colors almost illuminating the room in a sunshine-like aura. There were patrons singing and music playing from a piano in the back. 

”Is it really that bad?” Persephone asked with a teasing smile. Hades quickly closed his mouth, which had slightly opened as he took in the sights of the pub.

”No..no, it’s lovely. You said your cousin owns it?” Hades inquired, attempting to calm his own nerves as they sat a table. 

”Yeah, he opened it a while back.” She answered, pulling off her coat. Under it was a deep green dress with brighter flowers patterned across it. It didn’t look expensive, but it looked like whoever wore it deserved respect. Which she did.”What do you drink Mister Hades?” Hades flinched at the _Mister_. “You can just call me Hades, no need to be formal.” Persephone nodded, “Than what do you drink, _Hades_?” 

”Whiskey, but we can get a bottle of something lighter.” In Hades’ experience most women preferred the taste of finer liquors, or at least his sisters in law did. 

”I’m good with whiskey,” Persephone said, standing and walking off to the bar. Hades watched her, counting the seconds till she came back with their drinks.

”Cheers,” She started before Hades could take a drink. “To new friends.” They raised their glasses.

Hades took in every detail of her smile, memorizing everything about her that he had witnessed so far. 

He wanted to know more about her, he wanted to know everything. Hades wanted _her._

”To new friends.”


	3. the bohemians!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw for implied rape and abuse

_”To new friends!”_

Hades hadn’t expected Persephone to take his invitation. He hadn’t expected to spend time with the woman he’d taken a liking too. 

And he really hadn’t expected to wake up with a pounding headache on an unfamiliar sofa.

Hades winced, slowly sitting up and rubbing his eyes. A voice was humming, and despite the ache it brought it still sounded beautiful. Hades opened his eyes enough to take in the dark room, and training them on the figure in the kitchen with her back to him.

_Persephone._

Wait.

Was this her house?

More importantly, what was he doing in it? 

Hades wracked his brain trying to remember the previous night. They’d gone out to a bar, had a few drinks and talked, at least that’s all he could remember. They’d talked for hours, she probably now knew him better than his own brothers did. She’d told him about her life, how her mom died and she moved to the city with her brother. Told him about growing up in the country on a farm, and he told her about growing up in the grimy parts of the city.

They had talked and drank, that much was clear by the pounding headache and slight nausea of a hangover. But what was he doing in her apartment?

“Good Morning.” 

Hades jumped, not realizing Persephone had turned around. “You drink tea? It helps with the hangover.” Her voice was thick with something Hades couldn’t place.

“Yeah-yeah, tea’s good. Thank you.”

”I should thank you,” Persephone smiled, and Hades blinked trying to get a better look at her. Her hair was down and pushed to one shoulder, looking beautiful even in it’s disarray. She was wearing a pale colored house robe, and it looked beautiful in contrast to her skin. 

Gods, he probably looked awful. 

He ran a hand over his hair, trying to pat it down. “Why?” He asked, his brow furrowing. Hades wracked his brain trying to remember and details other than their conversations from last night.

As far as he could remember she had no reason to thank him. He’d barely done anything than drunkenly spill his life story.

 _Wait._ Hades’ breath caught.

Had he.....?

”For last night. It’s been a long time since I’ve been out proper, I had a lot of fun. So thank you.” Persephone moved around her kitchen, pulling tea china from the cabinets.

Hades watched her in confusion.

She really had a good time with him? It didn’t make sense. All they had done was talk, surely there had to be something he wasn’t remembering. 

”Take a seat?” Persephone gestured to the small table next to the kitchen. Hades nodded and rose, immediately regretting moving so fast. He took a seat at the table and Persephone soon followed with the tea. 

”Thank you for letting me stay,” Hades started carefully. “, and for the tea.” Persephone smiled, looking down at her tea. Hades wondered what she must have thought of him. He was embarrassed, though he wasn’t even sure what for. 

”Wasn’t gonna send you out in the cold.” 

She gave a slight laugh, but it sounded anything but confident. “Sorry ‘bout the sofa. I offered the bed, but you’re quite the gentleman even drunk. Quite impressive.” 

”It’s fine. _Really._ ”

Hades didn’t know how, but he could tell something was bothering her. Whatever it was, he wanted to make it go away. He wanted to make her happy again.

Gods, he even sounded ridiculous in his own head. 

”Is there somethin’ botherin’ you? I can go if if you want-“

“No!” Persephone seemed terrified at the idea, but quickly tried to hide it again. “I- you ain’t botherin’ me. I like the company.” 

”So....” She seemed to be thinking of a way to change the subject, so Hades stayed quiet. “I don’t think you ever told me what you do for work?” She grinned for a moment, putting up a finger to stop him before he could even start. “Lemme guess, you’re a business man of some sort, maybe a banker?”

Hades chuckled.

”No, definitely not a banker.” He said, leaving it open for Persephone to guess again. “What about...are you a labor manager? I know they make lots of money, my cousin’s one.” Hades shook his head, a smile playing at his lips. 

”Not the cousin that owns the pub, right?” Hades teased, and she snorted. “Oh gods no, Apollo can’t even do his own papers right.” 

”A salesman?”

”Of sorts, but no.”

”Foreman?” 

”Closer, but still no.”

”I give up.” She said, sighing and raising her hands in mock-defeat. Hades laughed to himself, and smiled at her. “I own an electricity company.” Persephone nudged his arm playfully. “So I was right. Technically you are both a salesman and foreman.” 

”Never said ya were wrong.” 

An uncomfortable silence spread, and Hades was desperate to break it. “You always wanna be a singer?” He asked, it coming out a bit harsher than he meant it. She raised an eyebrow. 

Did he make her mad? He didn’t mean anything by it.

”When I was younger I did.” She answered, sipping her tea. Hades saw something flash behind her expression. She looked pained. “Not anymore though?” 

She let out a sarcastic laugh. “Well, it’s too late for that now.” Hades frowned, watching her. She was avoiding looking at him, and it hurt. 

”If you weren’t singin’ what would you wanna do?” He asked, trying to move topics. Persephone smiled. 

”I’d wanna own a flower shop.” 

Hades smirked imagining her surrounded by beautiful flowers. It seemed to fit her personality. 

”Ain’t that stupid is it?” She teased, watching him grin. “No, not all. I think it would fit you. You should do it one day.” Persephone snorted. “I don’t have the money for that, can’t all be rich like you. Can’t pay my heat, let alone own a shop.” 

Hades looked down a moment and sighed. He just had to bring up something involving money, didn’t he? It never occurred to him not to talk like that, he didn’t have money problems. He made lots of it and the only thing that he owned above necessary was his house. It seemed like it’d never run out for him.

”I’m sorry-“ 

”I don’t want your pity, Hades.” 

Something in her voice broke. It was almost clear she was talking about more her finances. It hurt him to know something was hurting her. And there was no way in hell he’d stop before he got rid of whatever it was. 

—————————-

_Hades._

She’d said good bye to him after breakfast, but he stayed in her thoughts since. She’d had the best night she’d had in ages with him. They talked for hours. He _cared_.

It wasn’t an act. He genuinely cared. And most importantly, he didn’t try to sleep with her. 

He didn’t watch his drinks at the bar, lead her home and pin her to her own damn bed while she was drunk. He didn’t leave bruises that she’d have to cover before the show. He didn’t take advantage of her.

No, instead he’d refused to even take the bed. He slept on her shit sofa in her drafty living room. A gentleman, even drunk. You don’t see that much anymore.

The train whistle blew, and Persephone winced at the shrill sound. Gods did she hate trains. The ground of the platform shook as it pulled into the station. People excited the cars and she made her way to the conductor’s car 

Persephone pulled open the door, stepping inside the small compartment. “Aye, sister! You look awful.” The man sitting in the corner laughed to himself, and she sat across from him. “You ass.” She countered. 

”The boy’s trains late. Figured I’d come say hi before you rolled out again.” Hermes cracked a smile at her. “How’d you pay for him to go off? You make a piss poor salary.” Hermes opened his mouth to answer but Persephone cut her brother off. “Also, why are you leaving him with me? I don’t have a place for him to sleep.” 

”Make him sleep on your sofa.” 

Persephone shot him a look. 

”Fine. I’ll get him a room somewhere.”

Hermes looked down at his pocket watch and clicked his tongue. “Best get off now, Seph. ‘Less you wanna come down south with me.” 

Sometimes her brother was an ass. He worked in mysterious ways, that man, but the smirk on his face told her he had something planned. _That_ unsettled her. 

The next train pulled into the station, and out of one of the lower class cars came her pale lanky nephew. He had a single leather suitcase clutched tightly in his left hand, and a long leather case in the right.

”Aunt Persephone!” He called, waving his hand and almost dropping the suitcase. “Hey kid.” She answered, moving past the few people separating them. She hugged him tightly, and good gods had the boy grown tall. 

He’d considerably grown since she’d last seen him, but a few facts like his thin form and light brown hair had stayed the same. “Thank you for getting me this job, Aunt Persephone. It means the world to me.” He sounded so optimistic and excited, it sickened her. 

She wanted to crush it like a bug under her heel. She wanted to tell him that whatever he was dreaming of wasn’t true. That the life of a performer was hell, especially _there._

She wished someone had told her. Maybe she wouldn’t have been so stupid than. 

”Don’t thank me just yet.” Persephone never let her smile slip. It was a habit now, one that saved her ass on several occasions. “C’mon kid, let’s go home.” She said, taking her nephew’s suitcase and leading him towards the streets. 

“When are we going to the theatre?” Orpheus asked excitedly, and she could tell he was having difficulty keeping up with her pace. Another habit, walking quickly to avoid being stopped. Especially near the club where drunk men have wondering hands for a woman walking alone. 

”It ain’t a theatre, Orpheus. It’s a club.” She corrected. “We’ll drop your things at my flat and head there. I’ve got rehearsal.” 

Not that she needed it. She learned everything for the new week’s show yesterday before the Saturday show while working on a bottle of gin. 

Part of her wondered if Hades would keep coming. Tomorrow was Monday, the start of a new routine, and as Hades had told her this morning he was closing a deal at his company. 

Her stomach turned without warning, and it took her a moment to think of why. But then it hit her, tomorrow was Monday.

Spending time with Hades had made her forget. It was nice to forget, even if it was only for a little bit. She wouldn’t have that luxury again.

They walked home quietly and picked up pace on the way to the club. “So, Hermes tells me you’re writin’ a play?” Persephone asked, desperate to think about something else, _anything_ else. Orpheus nodded eagerly. “What’s it gonna be about?”

The boy let out a sheepish laugh. “I-I haven’t really gotten that far yet..” Persephone snorted. “You must have a theme, right?”

There was no doubt in her mind that her nephew had yet to even title a character yet. He created with passion, but his passion wasn’t ever based upon a singular thought.

Persephone envied his ability to be so in tune with his emotions. To be able to feel with no consequences. To be able to love.

”I want it to be about love.” 

She wanted to laugh, but looking at his stone serious face she didn’t. 

“What do you think love is, honey?” She asked him. Orpheus was young, he had to have a better definition of it then she did. He hadn’t seen the bad side of it, hell she didn’t know if he’d experienced it at all.

”Um..I-I, I think love is wonderful. I think it’s a feeling, a warmth. You could talk for hours with someone who you love and it would feel like no time passed. I-I think you feel it immediately, like a connection.” 

Persephone stared at him, unprepared. Had he really just perfectly described how Hades made her feel? And more importantly, did she love him? 

_You’ve only know him a week, don’t be ridiculous._

They approached the club, and she lead them to the performers entrance. They went down the stairs and entered the busy hallways. Orpheus stayed close behind her as she wove through her fellow performers. Finally they got to her dressing room. 

”I need help.” A voice spat out before they could even step inside. Eurydice was by the vanity, out of breath, her rehearsal corset not tied. “I-I can’t tie it...” Persephone was at her back before she could even finish. The girl was shaking, hard, and Persephone attempted to calm her. 

”Don’t worry honey, I’ve got ya.” She said, her hands quickly threading the strings of the younger woman’s corset. She finished it off, rubbing Eurydice’s shoulders as she struggled with her breathing. 

”Thank you.” Eurydice mumbles, leaning her head back. “No need.” Persephone snuck a glance at her nephew, who was staring with his jaw dropped at Eurydice. 

”Eurydice, I’d like you to meet my nephew Orpheus.” She said gently, and Eurydice turned her head to him. “You mind showin’ him to Dionysus’ office while I change?” Eurydice shook her head and turned to lead Orpheus out and down the hall. 

Persephone shut the door, heading over to her vanity to get a glass of whatever liquor was readily available. Whatever she chose had a bite to it, and burned going down. She stripped all her layers, changing into a rehearsal garment.

Last night’s red carnations teased her from their vase. She took another sip of her drink to dull the part of brain telling her that she might be in love. 

She couldn’t love him. She wished she could more than anything, but she couldn’t. If she did it would mean she’d either have to lie, or hurt him and she refused to do either. She didn’t have that free will anymore. The will to choose. No, she’d signed that away years ago.

She looked at her bare arms curiously. Would she have to start covering them in makeup again? Persephone looked at herself in the mirror. How much of herself would she have to loose for this _Mister Ares_?

She began to shake, whether it was from fear or fury she didn’t know. It didn’t matter. Her grip on the glass hurt, it was so hard. 

Her life didn’t matter. Her _wants_ didn’t matter. Her bosses passed her around like a god damned piece of property, and she was sick of it. Her glass hit the mirror.

Everything shattered.


	4. so exciting!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeah this is chaos but i won’t apologize for it

The instruments gave their last roll for their number.

Persephone sighed, taking a sip of her whiskey. Two more numbers until the show ended. Luckily she wasn’t in the last ones and had the few minutes to herself to think.

Well, more so to drink.

To let her fear slip away, hell, maybe her dignity would leave too. At Least then her mind wouldn’t be harpin’ on her for what was going to happen next. 

She could hear the music pouring from the stage, but also a softer sound of someone playing the guitar. It sounded much closer, in fact, 

Persephone stood, throwing her hair onto one shoulder, and open the dressing room door enough to peak outside. Sitting on the opposite wall of the hallway was her nephew, playing away on a worn guitar with his eyes shut. She smiled, especially when she noticed Eurydice with her head on his shoulder, her can-can skirt pushed out of the way. 

Young lovers.

She could see it in Orpheus’ face. In the way that he sang softy, not wanting to wake the sleeping songbird on his shoulder. It was sweet. 

The door closed again with a soft click, and Persephone headed back to her vanity. The mirror was replaced when she came in this morning. Part of her was glad, part of her wanted it to stay cracked. Part of her wanted to see something as damaged as she felt, but she supposed that was the whiskey talking.

There was a knock at the door. Persephone hesitated and the music went on above her. It was to early, it couldn’t be _him_. Dionysus said after the show. The show wasn’t over yet. 

”Who is it?” She asked, her tone stiff. “It’s Hades, may I come in?” 

_Hades?_ He shouldn’t be here. He wasn’t in his box during the show, why was outside her dressing room now? She didn’t have long before the show ended. She needed to tell him to leave, before she couldn’t bring herself too.

”Yeah, come in.” 

Hades closed the door quietly, a bouquet of a red carnations in his hand. “What are those for?” She asked, gesturing to the flowers.

He wasn’t even at the show tonight, which means their was no excuse to why he brought them. 

”You. I’m sorry I couldn’t make the show, my meeting ran late-“ Persephone followed his gaze down to mostly emptied bottle of liquor on her vanity. “Is something wrong?” He asked, his voice gentle and light. Hades stepped closer. 

She wanted to tell him everything. Persephone may hate her line of work, but wasn’t she ashamed, not until now. Ashamed that she wanted a man she couldn’t have, ashamed that if he knew what she was that he wouldn’t want to even see her again. 

_‘I’m not that type of man.’_

If it was up to her she wouldn’t be that type of woman either. It wasn’t. 

”You can tell me, whatever it is I won’t judge you for it.” The look on his face, the way he spoke, wait a damn minute- “You know?” 

”You told me while we were at the bar.” 

Persephone scolded herself. Of course the first thing she’d spill drunk was that. But he still had stayed. Hades spent the morning with her just like nothing had happened. Did he even care? 

”I told you what exactly?” She didn’t remember it. Maybe if she was sober, but she was the furthest thing from that. “That you were having trouble with being able to accommodate your nephew. You said you were worried about him.”

Persephone let out a breath. He didn’t know. She didn’t care that she knew about her fears for Orpheus, they weren’t her priority right now.

”Oh.” She laughed a little, finishing her glass. She wanted to lie and let him think what he wanted. The alcohol in her decided otherwise.

”That’s not it.”

”Well, you can still tell me.” Hades put the flowers on the vanity with the satisfactory sound of the parchment crumbling. He took the glass from her hand in a fluid motion, their hands brushing briefly.

She wanted more.

”It’s complicated.” She dropped into her chair releasing a sigh. “I’m a good listener.” Persephone bit her lip. 

It was best if he hated her anyway. No one would get hurt than, no one except her.

”I’m a courtesan, Hades.” She said dryly, unable to read his expression. “That’s why I hate my job. That’s why I drink too much, because I don’t have a damn choice. My bosses force me to give myself to their clients, even though I don’t want too. And when the show ends some asswhole payed to have me for as long as he pleases to do whatever he wants. I can’t take your flowers because they make me feel something that I’m not allowed to feel. You can’t keep coming because I think I love you-“ 

_Shit._

Hades put a hand on hers. “I don’t think any less of you because of something that’s not your choice. You’re still the same woman you were before, still the woman...” Hades hesitated. 

Does he love her too? Why else would he hesitate?

”..the woman that seems to have gotten me to fall..” He didn’t finish but he didn’t have too, she knew. Her judgement told her to leave it at that. Her heart told her that she wanted to kiss him senseless and feel what it was like to kiss someone she actually loved.

Luckily Hades made the choice for her.

It was a hesitant kiss, and Hades’ hands were gentle and barely touching her. He was giving her an out, she realized, one she wouldn’t use. Her hand traced lightly on his jawline, and his slid nicely into her hair. 

They fit together perfectly and it felt right. _He felt right._

There was no more music from the stage but Persephone didn’t notice. A knock sounded, but they ignored it. Another much louder came again, “You see she’s probably just getting out of her costume, my dear duke.” She could hear Dionysus’ voice muffled from outside the door.

She ripped away from Hades, halfway between laughing and screaming. “Hide.” She hissed, pressing a final kiss to his cheek. There was no where for him to hide.

Persephone quickly patted down her hair, taking a look in the mirror before heading to the door. She took a breath and put on a smile.

”Sorry to keep you waiting,” She apologized, opening the door. “My dear, no need.” The duke eyed her up and down, extending a hand. Persephone felt sick. “Whatever you say-“ “Call me Ares please my dear.” 

Ares eyed her dressing room, finally settling them on Hades. “And who pray tell is this?”

She need a lie. A _reason._ She couldn’t think, she couldn’t breathe. It felt like she’d been tight laced this morning. _Focus._

She could hear Orpheus outside, playing his guitar for Eurydice. Wait a second-

”This is Hades, a dear friend of mine. He was doing me a favor, my duke. Well, really the favor was for you.” Hades stared at her confused, “ _Trust me._ ” She mouthed and he nodded.

”You see, he was helping me rehearse. Hades was Dionysus’ part while he was out with you.” Dionysus raised his eyebrows, and Persephone shot him a look. The lie rolled of her tongue easily, a confident smile replacing any emotion her face might try to show.

”And why was this rehearsal so necessary, hum?” Ares asked, and Hades rose to speak but Persephone cut him off. “Because, we wanted too...audition it for you.” The entire room looked at her confused. 

”You see, dear duke, this is my nephew’s play. He asked me if I could see about getting you on board as an investor.” She ran and coy hand across his chest, heading to the door. “Orpheus!” She called, the boy jumping and putting his guitar down. Eurydice jumped too, rising with him clearly woken up. She’d apologize later, but for now she had a lie to sell. 

Persephone motioned for them to come and quickly followed. “Orpheus, honey, this is the duke I told you about.” The boy stared at her confused and opened his mouth to argue. “Yeah, remember?” Eurydice chimed in, probably seeing the panic in Persephone’s face. “You were to audition your show?” 

Orpheus’ features finally turned, understanding a little more, thank the gods. 

”And what is your show about?” Ares questioned as Persephone pushed him down lightly in her vanity chair. There was a moment of panic between everyone in the room. Oh she was gonna get it later.

”Um... you see, they’ll be..” Persephone felt her mouth dry. Her lie was going to go to hell if they didn’t come up with something in the next minute. Orpheus’ face lit up however and he looked at Eurydice.

”Lovers!” He answered loudly. _Lovers,_ She could work with that.

”And singers,” She continued, gesturing to Dionysus to continue. “And dancers of course. Worthy of the prime spot of show or on tour.” 

”Depravity, and uh...ecstasy..” Hades spoke up this time. “Love that endures.” Orpheus looked in his element, planning the play out in front of them.

Persephone could feel Eurydice lightly tapping on her shoulder. “Now comes Persephone who plays the ingenue, a sparrow singing up and down each avenue.” She winked, nudging Persephone. “Uh, yes, she wears a thin back dress and tells her tail of _woe._ ” She dramatically draped herself onto the vanity, the disgust in her rising as Ares smiled. “Of pain and loneliness,-“ “But that’s not all as these things go.” Persephone shot Eurydice a glare for interrupting. “She’s rather sick which some obscure disease, most likely a trick from sadder desperate days.” 

The pain in the young girl’s voice was well hidden, but she could hear it. It broke her heart.

The young girl shot a glance, and Persephone nodded. “And one day, singing through her pain, her song kicks out the rain....oh! And there he stands a lover!” 

”Yes! One day the world changes, and she meets a man,-“ “A wonderful man, unlike any she’d ever met.” The color rose to Hades’ cheeks as she covertly directed the line to him. _Him_

”He’s an artist-“ “No, he’s a _sailor!_ Voyaging across the seas in search of a mate, but now it seems like fate, a gift from the gods above.” 

Orpheus stared at Eurydice and smiled, “A love divine, forevermore, their bodies intertwined.” There was something lyrical, _beautiful_ , about her nephew’s voice. The way it rang even when he was just speaking was almost divine in its own way. 

”But fate has other things in store.” Persephone’s head snapped to Hades. What in hell was he doing? 

”There’s a man who already claims her, an evil gangster. She’s unhappy but no one blames her, for such an awful man she’s found.”

Oh.

_Oh._

Dionysus looked between them and rolled his eyes. “He buys her love,”

”He buys her clothes!” 

”He‘s rough but that’s all the poor girl knows-“ “He buys her love, there’s no escape,” 

”Oh! And now a triangle has taken shape.” They all simultaneously nodded. How in the realms was this actually working? 

”And now the sailor, driven mad, determined to take his bride, vows to make the gangster go, he swears to risk his life for love, and that’s our show all of the above.” 

“A spectacle of savagery,” 

”A testament to lunacy,”

”Fun for the whole family! And most of it designed by me.” 

They all looked to her. She had to convince. “Sounds so exciting doesn’t it, Ares?” Persephone draped her arm across his chest, a sickening smirk spreading across his face. “Make it happen?” She asked. “Just for me?” 

”Oh, anything for you my dear.” 

”You’ll invest? Really?” Dionysus questioned, attempting to push the others out the door. “Yes. We can discuss tomorrow.” 

The door clicked shut. Persephone’s heart dropped.

There was no one left to protect her now. _Get yourself together, woman._ His hand curled around her wrist, tugging her to his lap. 

”I imagine you’ll make a wonderful ingenue, my dear.” She swallowed. “You were breathtaking tonight. I’ve heard wonderful things about you, _the sparkling diamond._ ” 

“As have I.” She lied coolly, and he pulled her closer to him. Ares traced up her arm, before reaching the top and tugging down her robe. Thank the gods for corsets. 

His lips went immediately to the flesh he’d just exposed and his hand dug hard enough into her wrist to leave a nasty mark. His other hand tugged at the cord tied on her corset.

_Well Shit._

”To business, shall we my dear?” 

The duke slammed his lips into herself without waiting for an answer. Soon enough, her corset fell.


	5. nature boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i swear I’ll get back to the double character format soon it’s just really persephone focused atm. also tw for mentions of physical abuse

_Fuck._

Persephone awoke in an awful haze of whatever alcohol she’d consumed, and a raging headache to match. And the pounding on her damn dressing room door sure as hell didn’t help. 

What time was it? The memories of the prior night haunted her. Her corset was tied back in it’s rightful place, although it ached from sleepin’ with it. She prayed herself off the floor, stumbling and clutching her vanity for support. Her muscles ached and she could feel bruises in places she couldn’t see. A dark purple one was center front on her wrist, and she vividly remembered him giving it to her. 

Her memory didn’t get black until after. Until after Ares was gone, leaving her to pick herself up. She’d turned to alcohol then, and didn’t seemed to have stopped until her body gave out. The pounding continued.

”What?!” She demanded, her angry gaze focused on the door. “Sister, open the damn door.” 

_Hermes?_

”The hell are you doin’ here?” Persephone couldn’t move, the world spinning in a vicious attempt to torture her more. “Train got cancelled, Orpheus told me about last night. He may not have read in but I did, so open the damned door.” 

It took a few minutes, but soon the door was open and quickly shut again. “You look like shit.” She darkly laughed at him. Hermes’ expression dropped as he looked her over, as he looked the room over. 

He touched her cheek, and it stung. A bruise she hadn’t yet felt. Everything ached, her heart hurt like it had been broken. Persephone crumbled into the open arms of her half-brother who had seen her at this low many times before. 

”Shh, he ain’t gonna hurt ya.” Hermes sat them on the small sofa, holding her in a familiar position. Kids, holding each other when they had scraped knees and two sets of busy parents. So much changed, yet so much didn’t.

She wasn’t ashamed of what she did. She was ashamed of the awful bruises she could feel, ashamed that she couldn’t protect herself from Ares. Ashamed she couldn’t stop him.

”We need to get you sobered up, sis.” Hermes drawled, and Persephone laughed a little. The corset protested her laugh, hell it protested her breath. She musta tied it too tight whenever she drunkenly put it back on the night before. “Get yourself cleaned up, we’ll go get breakfast.”

Hermes didn’t pry on what happened, he didn’t give her time to relive it. He’d let her cry a bit and then pushed her on a schedule. If it didn’t give her time to think, wounds would heal quicker. Or at least they wouldn’t hit her until later.

Persephone sat for a few minutes until standing and unlacing her corset enough to get it to a comfortable place. It was the rest of her undergarments that stung as she tried not look at the newly exposed bruises. Her blouse came next, followed by her heavier wool skirt . 

She didn’t bother with her hair much, it was only Hermes after all. It’s not like he gave a damn what she looked like.

”Where too?” Persephone asked, taking Hermes’ arm. “I got a place in mind, don’t ya worry ‘bout it.” The wind stung and the air had a bitter chill. She really needed to get home and pay her heat. 

”How’s Orpheus doin’ here?” He asked, leading them down an unfamiliar street. “Good, I suppose. He’s caught fancy for one a the girls. Name’s Eurydice.” Hermes raised a brow. He didn’t trust the women she worked with, he’d made that abundantly clear over the years. 

”She’s a good kid, swear on my mama’s grave.” 

Eurydice was a good kid, it’s not like she was lying. Persephone saw herself in that girl, and made it her responsible to keep her from making the same mistakes. Not that she’d have much longer to make them if she kept ditching the doctor. She needed help, and Persephone tried. But she wouldn’t let her give it.

”But....? Your face says there’s somthin’ else.” Damn her brother knew her too well. “She’s got consumption. Or at least I’m thinkin’ that’s what it’s gotta be, she’s not goin’ to a doctor. Damn girl’s stubborn as hell.”

”Sounds like someone I know.” Hermes gave her a play push, accidentally almost knocking her into the road. “Watch yourself brother.” She teased, pushing him back.

”Ain’t ladylike to push.” 

”Ain’t gonna stop this lady.” 

Hermes lead them down the streets to a quaint little cafe nestled between one of the bohemian hotspots and the lower half of the business district. Two very different kinds of people, and not just in class. 

They took a table and while Hermes went off to get their breakfast, Persephone watched intently around the room. It was a melting pot of the classes which was unusual but not unheard of. She just secretly hoped that a fight would break out. 

Businessmen used their words and bohemians used their fists. They were fun to watch as long as you weren’t caught in the middle, which thankfully she never was. Both sides respected people of her _career_. 

”Watched pot never steams.” 

Persephone jumped slightly and turned to the man who’d spoken behind her. He was young, problem younger than her, with sandy blonde hair and dark green eyes. And by the look of his clothes clearly a bohemian.

”Excuse me?” She raised a brow at the man, who’s smile only grew. “You want to see a fight. Why else would a pretty girl like you be in a place like this?” 

Oh was this man testing his luck today.

”Oh really? And who are you to say?” A coy smile spreading across her face. Bohemians didn’t have boundaries, and she wasn’t confined to being a good girl like she was at work. And at the moment she wanted a fight. 

”Adonis, an _artist._ And you my dear?” He moved his hand suggestively up her arm and she almost laughed. He really didn’t know what he was getting into.

He continued, until her hand clasped his wrist. “A woman, whom you should respect as something more than a plaything. And I’d be careful with that hand, there’ll be no more art for you if it were gone.” She hissed, and he quickly pulled away. 

The man cowered back to his table and she turned back to hers. “You can’t just sit still can ya?” Hermes remarked, coming back the table with tea and a brown bag she assumed contained food.

”Guess not.” 

Hermes laughed, but Persephone didn’t. Instead she took a sip of tea, grimacing at the cheap quality. Was it that hard to get a couple good leafs?

Then she sighed. Not the tea’s fault she’s in a shit mood today. “How long can I keep ya sis?” She could feel his gaze studying her. Damn brother. 

”Got rehearsal at quarter four.” Persephone pried the bag from Hermes, opening to get out the food. The bag was filled with baked goods, her favorite hangover foods. “You sure you can do tonight?” 

”The hell is that supposed to mean? I am perfectly capable of slapping powder on bruises and throwing on a smile. Ain’t the first time you know that.”

Hermes just shook his head at her outburst. She wanted to deck him but kept her restraint. “Well if I can keep ya till four, wanna do somthin’ fun? Won’t be in town long, might as well make the most, eh?” 

”Ain’t wrong ‘bout that. Where’d ya have in mind?” There was a mischievous glint in her older brother’s eye, which usually meant a bit of trouble would follow. 

”That old conservatory still here?” Persephone scrunched her nose, a memory of her mother smacking her hard in the face. Before she lived in the city her mama would bring her in to study the strange plants at the conservatory each year for her birthday. She used to think they were magic, they way they looked and what they could do. She’d take notes and recite them on the way home, before rushing in to show them to her aunt as well. Gods that felt like a lifetime ago.

”Yeah it’s still there. The woman passed though, her daughters run it now.” She’d always admired the mysterious woman who ran the conservatory. That woman had the confidence to start a business in the times before the first steam train even thought about crossing into the city. Not that it was that much different now in what a _lady_ could do. 

”Then we’ll go there. Those daughters of hers were always somthin’ weren’t they?” Persephone almost choked, trying to not laugh. “Suppose so.” 

Hermes had fancied the three girls (especially the oldest) since the very first time his mama let him come into the city with them. It was fun to watch the him attempt to flirt with them, and even better when they teased him the same back. 

They ate, soon leaving the cafe and heading back onto the streets. 

”Eh, Seph!” 

Persephone snapped out of her daze and turned her head her guest. Part of her mind hadn’t left the peace of the conservatory, and she was running on auto pilot for this show. 

She quickly tied her new costume’s corset layer. It was a deep red, covered in rubies and feather and she didn’t have much longer before it was her cue again.

She rather liked her next song. It was a nightcap to the show, so to speak. It was an old folk her mama taught her, and apparently it was good enough for the show as long as they slapped a couple hundred diamonds on it. 

”Seph, Orpheus got invited by the bohemians for after the show. _We_ are going to one of the biggest parties in the city!” The way Eurydice spoke meant that there wasn’t an option. Persephone was coming too. “That’s great girl. You be careful though, ain’t known for having the safest parties.”

Persephone’s cue sounded and she patted the girl’s shoulder while heading to the stage. The lights were down, and the orchestra played a simple tune in wait. An adrenaline filled her, a feeling only preforming had. It was electric. 

_”There was a boy,”_

The spotlight focused on her, illuminating her view. She scanned the audience until her eyes landed on him. Why was he here?

_”A very strange, enchanted boy,”_

Their eyes locked and her breath hitched for a moment.

_”They say he traveled very far, very far over land and sea, they say He sings for the love of a girl, and then one day, one magic day he passed my way,”_

He smiled at her, and she wanted to return it. Maybe later she could.

_”While we spoke of many things,songbirds and kings, this he said to me,”_

She moved across the stage and into the crowd. Each step hurt, the way the costume brushed her bruises. 

_”It is true, the earth must die, but then it comes back to life, and the sun must go on rising. And the greatest thing you’ll ever learn, is to love,”_

She could see the bouquet of red carnations resting in his hand, and felt a familiar warmth. 

_”And be loved, in return._

Applause erupted, and Persephone bowed and snuck off the stage as the rest of the company came to do theirs. The walk to her dressing room was pleasantly peaceful, due to everyone else being upstairs. 

The heavy costume took a few minutes to even begin unlacing, but her hand worked slowly anyway. A knock on the door made her heart pound more then the work of the costume made her tired. 

”It’s Hades.” 

Persephone sighed in relief. “Come in.” The door quietly opened and shut, and Hades went somewhere behind her. Or she thought until she accidentally brushed his leg with hers. “Would ya like a hand?” He asked, moving a respectable distance away from her. “Sure. Thank you.” 

He began where she stopped, pausing frequently to ask if he was hurting her. There was a thick silence she desperately wanted to break but her mouth was bone dry. 

”Persephone, did someone hurt you?” 

Her chest tightened. _No, why did he care?_ Why didn’t she put makeup on the bruises on her back? She should have been smarter.

”Was it that man?”

How could Hades break her walls so quickly? She wanted to sob, she wanted to kiss him again. She wanted him. She wanted the man that actually seemed to care about her. The man that seemed to love her.

Her costume fell, leaving her in her undergarments, and barely a second later the silk of her robe covered her shoulders without her having to do it herself. He did it. A small thing that made her heart melt. Hades didn’t want to gander at her in her corset, no, he wanted her to feel comfortable.

”You can tell me y’know.” Persephone crashed into him, and he her. Hades had strong arms, but they weren’t rough. The way he held her wasn’t aggressive or sexual in any way, it was gentle and loving. He nodded, as if he understood without her need to explain.

Someone pounded on her door, and Persephone stepped away from Hades to get it. “We’re gonna go soon, get dressed.” She opened it just enough to glare at Dionysus. “You’re goin’ too?” 

”Of course. Bohemians are great for business.” She slammed the door in his face, locking it and turning back to Hades.

”What was that about?” He questioned, picking up her costume from the floor and folding it. He placed it on her vanity, and she looked down. “A party.” She paused for a moment. “I’d invite you but I don’t think you’d like it.” A small smile spread on her face. None of the bohemians would dare touch her with someone as imposing as Hades by her side. 

”Why not?” He sat on the small sofa and she joined him, leaning slightly on his shoulder. It was strange how comforting it felt to be this close to him. She usually didn’t feel safe this close to anyone, save for Hermes. “Bohemians. It’s their party.” 

Persephone couldn’t define whether Hades was part of the aristocracy or just a business man. He dressed of the latter, but some elements were expensive, even above the business status. He acted like neither though, which was what made him stand out the first night they met.

”I don’t hold anything against the bohemian movement. I’d be happy to accompany you if that’s what you’d like.” Spoken like a true businessman. Why was he so kind to her? He would step foot in the dirty alleys of the city just to please her. 

It didn’t make any sense.

”You’d have to dress down a bit. They’d tear you to pieces dressed like that.”

Hades laughed. It was a dark rumbling sound that echoed in her core. She loved it.


	6. truth, beauty, freedom, love

Persephone hadn't felt this safe and comfortable in a long time.

Her head was rested on Hades’ shoulder while the carriage road down the choppy and broken old roads. Orpheus and Eurydice were seated across from them, and it was very clear her nephew was nervous. Which he had every right to be. 

The boy had no clue what he’d agreed to. Parties were one thing, but bohemian parties were entirely different. Booze, drugs, anything illegal they could get their hands on. Not that all bohemians were bad necessarily, some of them were downright geniuses. She'd met quite a few like that, endless sources of art. Much like Orpheus.

That’s what the movement used to be made of, genius artists going against the grains of society. Persephone used to rather respect them, the way they treated woman as equals and didn’t care about races or backgrounds, but now they were risqué and dangerous. It wasn't so much about the art anymore, rather the defiance. 

”Thank you for coming.” She repeated for what had to have been the hundredth time. She didn’t understand why Hades had even agreed. She didn’t understand why Hades was even still _here_ with _her_. 

”Ya don’t have to keep thankin’ me.” 

The carriage halted to a stop, and the four stepped out onto the empty street. “This isn’t where the men said to meet, Aunt Persephone.” Persephone almost laughed at Orpheus’ naivety. “Well, we’re walkin’ the rest of the way hun. Can’t pull up in a fancy carriage.” 

She pressed herself to Hades’ side, and he apparently got the message and offered her his arm. How did he do that? He seemed to be able to tell her what she was thinking, and they hadn’t known each other more than a few weeks. 

It felt like she’d known him forever. 

Hell, he probably knew more about her than most people she’d known for years. It was so easy to talk to him, it didn’t feel like there was consequences to her words. It didn’t feel like they would be spun against her with him. 

Orpheus and Eurydice chatted as they walked but Hades and Persephone walked in silence. She hated it. She hated silence but was too afraid to shatter it. So they walked, her ears perking to his breathing instead. Something so simple was oddly calming. 

He smiled at her slightly and she smiled back. Maybe she didn’t completely hate the silence. 

Hades gestured his head back to the younger couple trailing a bit behind them, and she just sadly smiled and shook her head. She knew that the couple hadn't realized what they were yet. They must have been oblivious to the love clearly blooming between them. Eurydice wouldn't admit to it, that girl had higher walls than she did, and that's saying somethin'. It'd be her nephew's heartbreak if Eurydice kept going like she was, without help. She need help, gods Persephone wanted to give it. 

"May I ask you somethin'?" He rumbled, crushing the silence with a steam train. He wasn't smiling anymore, and the expression that replaced it was unreadable, she _loathed_ it. "Go ahead." Her voice was flat and her posture tensed. He was going to ask about Ares, she could feel it. He had every right too, but it was the last thing she wanted to think about. Not that it'd actually left her head all day, just been pushed back giving an unforgiving dread. 

"I know you probably don't want to talk, and it ain't my place to press, but please tell me his name." 

_Concern._

The break in his low voice, the look on his face, he _cared._ Tears threatened to fall, but she kept them back. Why did he care so much? Why did he care about her so much that he'd go to the deep innards of the city just to make sure she felt safe? It felt wrong. She didn't deserve his concern or the way he made her feel. 

Persephone leaned her head on his shoulder, and they turned a corner. "His name is Ares." She answered quietly and he grunted. It was silent again, but this silence was even worse. "Turn here." She instructed, pointing to what seemed like a dead end. Hades raised a brow, but didn't question her which she was thankful for. "They got booze at this party?" Persephone snorted. "They got booze you ain't even heard of at this party." 

Basement moonshine, bootlegged stuff from refineries, none of it would be out of place here. Persephone craved the alcohol, a way to keep off her bad memories. A way show up happier for the dancers she knew would probably have showed up with Dionysus. She could practically hear Hermes telling her off, but quietly told the voice to fuck off. She'd been dry all day, what harm was a little booze at a party?

"You dance?" She questioned slowly, the sound of music nearing. Hades laughed a little, and a grin crept onto her face. She loved his laugh. "Not really, but I'll dance with you if you'd like. Can't promise I'll be any good." He looked down at her, a questioning smile on his face that she just shook her head to.

"Don't have to be good, everyone there'll be drunk. No one's judgin'." The four walked into the source of the music, a large barely decorated space filled with people and booze. The lingering smell was enough to get you drunk. 

Three men from the corner shouted Orpheus' name, and he looked at Persephone briefly before heading off. Eurydice moved to follow and Persephone quickly grabbed her arm. "You watch him. And yourself girl, no unlabeled stuff got it?" The girl nodded, and she let go and watched her head to Orpheus. 

Persephone pushed her hair to her shoulder, the thick heat from the amount of people crammed in the room starting to get to her. Hades looked to her, very clearly very clueless. "Get us a table, I'll go get the drinks." He nodded, and headed off while she went in the direction of the bar.

__________________

Hades felt out of place and he despised it.

He truly didn’t even know why he was here. Persephone hadn’t really invited him, he’d just seized the opportunity to spend more time with her. Especially after seeing the cast of bruises that littered her skin because of that man. 

The feeling that ripped through him was an awful burning hatred for Ares and a desire to keep Persephone safe. To keep the woman he loved safe. 

Speaking of the woman he loved, he raised a hand to flag her to their table. She was grinning widely and placed an unlabeled bottle on the table along with too glasses with a sugar cube in each. 

“Thought you said not to drink unlabeled stuff.” Hades remarked, raising a brow. She shook her head, her few loose curls bouncing with the motion. _Gods_ she’s gorgeous. 

”Yeah well, they’re kids and we’re adults. Besides I know what’s in here.” She tapped the glass bottle, and unscrewed the cap. Hades watched silently as she poured to green liquid into there cups the strong sent only reassuring his guess. “Absinthe?” Persephone nodded, still smiling at him. “The green fae herself.” 

Hades smiled at her nickname for the drink. He’d heard green lady, or green muse, but something told him she’d came up with green fae herself. “You need to dilute it with cold water.” He instructed, and Persephone snorted. 

”Water’s for cowards, you just use the sugar for taste.” She drawled, “This ain’t the fancy shit you drink, ya drink this stuff straight.” She pushed the glass to him, before picking up her own. “Thank you for coming.” 

That had to have been the hundredth time she’d thanked him since they left the club. Behind her smile he could see the pain in her eyes, and the relief that she didn’t have to be alone. 

”No need, I’m rather happy to spend my night with you.” She blushed, and he chuckled. “Cheers.” Persephone raised her glass and Hades followed, their glasses clinking.

The absinthe burned going down, much stronger than he remembered from the last time he’d tried it. It had no immediate effect other than a brief burning sensation in his chest. 

Persephone refilled their glasses, and drank from hers. Hades waited a few minutes before even touching his glass again, and she tapped her nails on the table. “Wanna dance?” She asked, not looking up from the ground. Hades frowned. 

Was she that scared he didn’t really want to be here that she couldn’t even look him in the eye?

”Sounds lovely.” She snapped her gaze up to him looking surprised. Hades slid out of his chair and offered his hand to her, and she smirked taking it. They walked somewhat closer to the band, which was playing a little too loudly for Hades’ liking, and Persephone immediately lead him into a dancing position. 

He spun her and she laughed, placing her hands back on his. They swayed, Persephone leading him a few paces every few minutes. If the absinthe took effect Hades didn’t notice, the only thing he notice was the beautiful woman in his arms.

The way she laughed in his ear, her _smile_. They couldn’t be any closer if they actually tried. Not that Hades had originally held her close at all. He wanted her to feel safe, to let her decide how close they danced she deserved that. She deserved the world, much more than just the choice of how close someone was to her.

”You’re a great dancer.” She purred in his ear, and her breath tickled his neck. “Just followin’ you.” She laughed at that, and Hades spun her. Her skirts rustled, and brushed the couple dancing beside them but they didn’t seam to care so neither did Hades.

”Wanna go get more drinks?” Hades asked after a few minutes more of dancing. His feet hurt and it seemed like the music had gotten louder, if that was possible. Persephone nodded, and she let go of him and headed back to the bar. Hades walked back to the table and watched her at the bar.

A man came up behind her and Hades’ jaw tightened. The man snuck his hand on her shoulder, and her head snapped to him. Hades stood up, but before he could even move from there table the man was gone and she was headed back with their drinks in hand. 

Maybe he was drunk.

”Who was that man?” It came out colder than he’d meant it. Persephone looked at him for an explanation, or maybe for him to further question. “Is he botherin’ ya?” She just shook her head and stared down in her drink.

Hades took a sip of his drink, the liquor going down smooth to a point it barely tasted like alcohol. He took another, this one larger. Persephone’s hand laced with his, while she nursed her drink in the other. “You look beautiful.” He said and she laughed.

”That’s the absinthe talkin’, you saw me. I’m a mess.” She had to be referring to her in her corset. He hated seeing the bruises that lined her back. That Ares had a death wish. Hades shook his head firmly. “No. You’re gorgeous always.” 

Persephone blushed and took a sip of her drink. “You’re blushing.” Hades mentioned, quite amused at the way her smile curled when he spoke. “Shut up.” She drained the rest of her glass at once and squeezed his hand. “I’m gonna go get more.” 

”Alright.” He replied but she was already gone. He didn’t want her to leave him, especially not here. Hades may not have anything against the bohemian movement but that didn’t mean he trusted the people. They may be artists, but they were also thieves and bootleggers. It wasn’t a safe place to be and they weren’t safe people.

Minutes passed and still the seat across from him was empty. It didn’t take this long for a refill. Hades’ jaw tightened. If anyone dared lay a finger on her it would be their peril for it.

He stood up and walked over to the bar, scanning the people until he laid eyes on her. She wasn’t far from where he stood, but he doubted she would see him. A woman snuck behind Persephone, and wrapped her arms around her waist, whiteout warning yanking her back.

Hades tried to push through the people between them but despite his efforts was only close enough to hear them. 

”Tiny little Kore, where are your diamonds.” The woman said, clicking her tongue, her lips directly by Persephone’s ear and Persephone burst into laughter. “A little drunk are we?” The woman questioned, taking the glass from Persephone’s hand and drinking it herself. 

Hades pushed through the people to still no avail. His jaw clenched, as he watched to woman touch her, even if there was nothing sexual to it _yet._

”I threw my diamonds in the river.” Persephone said to the woman, a smile on her face. “Atta girl, cousin.” 

_Cousin?_

Hades finally pushed through the people and Persephone’s eyes lit up when she saw him. She tapped the woman’s hand, and she let go of her waist. Persephone immediately came to his side, and he took her hand rather protectively.

”Hades, this is my cousin Artemis. She’s Apollo’s sister I told ya about.” The woman- _Artemis_ \- extended a hand to him and Hades shook it. “Sorry. I didn’t know Seph was with anyone or I wouldn’t of bothered her.” Hades felt every muscle relax as Persephone leaned on him and was only half paying attention to Artemis speaking.

He had no right to get protective over Persephone. She was talking to her cousin for gods sakes, and somehow he was jealous that it was someone trying to take her from him. It didn’t make sense.

”Wanna get more drinks?” She asked after Artemis left, and Hades nodded keeping her close to him this time. “Whisky shots.” She told the bartender and he scurried off until there was a shot glass in front of them and a bottle of whiskey behind them.

”Shots?” He questioned, raising a brow at her. “What? You scared I’m gonna out drink ya?” Her smile was mischievous, and she was non verbally daring him with her eyes. “Hardly.” 

She poured out their shots and the first couple burned, but after that they went smoothly. Persephone was up to twenty and Hades was only at seventeen. “Truce?” She slurred, downing number twenty-one. Hades laughed, and Persephone came closer. “Truce.” 

A loud drinking song was being sung around them, and they stood dancing as much as their drunk state would allow. Persephone’s head was rested on his chest, and Hades rubbed circles on her back his face partly in her curls.

Hades loved her, every part of him loved her. 

”Kiss me.” She purred, poking her head up to look at him. “Are you sure-“ Persephone locked lips with him and time stoped. 

This would be the second time they’d kissed and gods he wished it never had to end. If he had any say, there would never be a last one either.


	7. your song

Silk sheets were remarkably comfortable.

These sheets were probably worth more than Persephone was. Everything in Ares’ house was worth more than she was. Including the liquor she’d consumed so that she wouldn’t remember the night before. 

It worked.

Instead of lying awake all night, wanting to run away after they were finished, she slept. She dreamt about Hades, which wasn’t new since that night they spent at the party was all she could think about. It had been a week. They’d seen each other five days out of the seven. And Hades wanted to talk. She and Hades _talked._

”Early riser are we, my dear?” 

Persephone threw on a smile and turned to face Ares, who was standing in the doorway. “Today, I suppose so.” She drawled, sitting up and not bothering to keep the blankets around her. Nothing he hadn’t seen. 

”I’m terribly sorry.” He walked over to the bed and sat directly beside her, eyeing her exposed flesh. Bruises bloomed on her collarbone and down from last night, and despite his apology his eyes looked proud. It disgusted her. 

”You’ll forgive me won’t you, flower?” _Flower._ Ares took one thing she loved and turned it into something that made her feel sick. 

”Of course. Ain’t your fault, it was an accident.” It wasn’t an accident. She knew it wasn’t an accident.

Ares smiled and patted her leg, a little too far up her thigh to proper. “I’ve had your dress washed and pressed, the maids will bring it up. I trust you’ll be joining me for breakfast.” Persephone tried so damn hard to keep her smile on. Her tongue was probably raw with how hard she was biting it to restrain herself. “How could I not?” She said, her voice tight. 

He pressed a kiss to her probably wild curls, his hand lingering somewhere much further down. “Good girl.” Every fiber of her body wanted to slap his hand away, no fuck that. She wanted to break it off. 

Ares was barely an inch away from her, and he had a grip on her wrist that hurt like hell. He was testing her. Trying to see how far until she’d break, or until he’d have a reason to do her worse than bruises. She knew men like him. He was absolute _filth._

”I’ll see you downstairs than, flower.” He presses a kiss her cheek and left the bedroom. The silk sheets we balled in her fist as she watched him leave. Footsteps sounded from the hall and Persephone jumped out of the bed and quickly put on her undergarments that were still left in the room, the only one missing being her corset . 

A woman entered the room carrying her dress and corset, assumingely coming from the press. “Thank you.” She said and the woman just shyly nodded. Persephone expect her to just leave the garments but the maid lingered and placed the corset to her. 

”You don’t need too, I can do my own.” She said but the girl shook her head vigorously and went out of Persephone’s eye line. “Ya got a name?” She tried, but the girl didn’t so much as make a peep. Her corset rustled as the maid started lacing it and the silence made fairly uncomfortable. 

“You can talk to me, I ain’t nearly as scary as Ares is- _fuck,_ ” The curse escaped her lips as the breath was sucked from her and a sharp pain hit her entire mid section. So this is why the aristocracy are such pricks, she’d be too if her corset was laced this tight everyday. Persephone struggled to draw breath but the maid pulled it even tighter still before tying it for good. 

The girl moved to get her dress but Persephone put an arm out to stop her. “Hey, kid, can you talk?” She asked, stating to put the deep red dress on herself. The maid shook her head and Persephone frowned.

She’d seen this kind of employment before and made her stomach turn. The employer would hire disabled kids and pay them less, usually finding a way to debt them so they can never leave. It was disgusting the way these kids were treated. 

”Does Mister Ares pay you minimum, honey?” Persephone asked, abandoning her dress and gently addressing the girl. The girl shook her head again, and placed a hand on Persephone’s. Her hands were thin and scarred with burns and she assumed they must be from the press or the stove.

The girl shook her head and Persephone’s blood boiled. “Sit down honey, you don’t have to help me.” She got the girl settled in a armchair and finished putting her dress on. Her body ached and she’d have to put makeup on before the show tonight. Just a fucking lovely topper to the day.

”Could you show me to the dinning room please?” The girl nodded and stood up, leading her out of the the bedroom. This house was huge, and everything inch of it covered in expensive items. Oh, how badly she wanted to take one of those expensive vases and smash it over Ares’ head. 

He deserved it after what he did to her. Not that she remembered last night. All she could do was feel the remnant pain and the small flashes of memory that the alcohol didn’t completely get rid of. 

Persephone took a breath as much a the corset would allow before opening the doors to the dinning room. The maid had slipped away while she wasn’t looking. She’d probably scared the shit out of the girl by being nice, the poor kid. 

”Ah, you look gorgeous.” Ares wore an awful grin so she plastered on a smile and took a seat on the side of the table while Ares sat at the head. She wasn’t directly next to him, she was one seat away. She’d done this enough, she knew he place at the table. 

The man sat at the head and wives sat either opposite them or directly next to them. She however in the scheme of the table sat in the whore’s seat. That’s what she was to him after all. Close enough to touch but not close enough to show affiliation.

”Your home is quite lovely, dear duke.” Persephone prompted, hoping he would spend breakfast boasting on his collections so she wouldn’t actually have to talk with him. “Indeed. Everything here is from my private collections, and places I’ve visited across the globe. I quite enjoy traveling, I enjoy the commotion of it. I mean my dear, my pocket square is worth more than I payed for you.” 

Persephone choked, and not only because the tightness of her corset wasn’t allowing her to eat comfortably. As many men as she’d played whore to not a one of them had been this blunt about it. 

”Also, you’ve sat in the wrong seat flower.” Persephone raised a brow. She’d most definitely not sat in the wrong seat. “You are no common whore here, darling, and I’ve paid to have you as a mistress so you will act accordingly.” _That son of a-_

Persephone stood and took her plate and moved across the table to the seat next to Ares, the one reserved for the mistress not the wife. She felt dirty. She knew what she was, but being told it just made her even more furious. He had no right. Except he payed, she was the one with no right. 

”I would offer to spend the day, my dear, but unfortunately I have business to attend to. I have a carriage that will take you home after breakfast.” 

_Oh thank the gods._

”I understand.” Persephone attempted to sound disappointed but her happiness broke through her tone slightly. She could go _home._ Her unheated shitty flat was never more of an exciting destination. 

”Would you tell me more of your travels dear duke? I’ve barely left the city, much less the country.” Ares had an ego, that much was extremely clear to her. An ego she hoped would allow her to space out for the rest of breakfast since she wasn’t getting any food down.

Ares talked for at least an hour before the maid came to collect their dishes. He completely ignored her and it made Persephone’s blood boil again. She gave the girl a smile and she gave a small one in return. She glared at Ares and then her gaze fell on his pocket. A wicked grin spread on her features.

More expensive than her, eh? 

In one fluid motion, Persephone rose from her seat and went around to Ares’ back. She wrapped her arms around his chest from behind, and felt a grin on his face that almost turned her stomach. 

”Quite the woman.” He mumbled, and Persephone pressed light kisses down the duke’s neck. “Indeed I am.” She hummed, reaching her hand lightly into his breast pocket while he was focused on her. As soon as she felt the silk pocket square on her fingertips she pulled it out and tucked it behind her back.

The clock chimed and Persephone saw this as a good out. “You’d better go dear duke.” His had closed on her wrist, pulling her to him. “I suppose. I’ll see you again my dear.” He kissed her and stood, leaving the dining room.

She let out a struggled breath headed were she’d seen the maid go off. The door opened to a scullery hallway and Persephone followed it to where, judging by the noise, was where the kitchen was. The girl snapped her head to her when she opened the kitchen door and vigorously shook her head.

”Honey it’s okay. Could you show me to the door please?” It was an awful excuse but she needed to get the girl away from the cooks. The maid quickly nodded and lead her out and through the hallways to the front door. 

It hurt her to see such a young girl so abused. It _tore_ at her. She pressed the pocket square in the girls hand and ducked out the door before the girl could react.

The cold air stung her. Gods why hadn’t she thought to grab her coat last night. Just cause the liquor kept her warm than didn’t mean it helped any now that she was mildly hungover and freezing. 

A dark colored carriage pulled in the street soon, and the driver waved her on. The cold air was trapped inside the carriage and somehow was worse than standing outside. She leaned her head on the window and shut her eyes tight. She thought about what she would’ve rather have done last night. 

She could’ve gone out with Hades again. Or maybe went somewhere with the dancers. Even better she could’ve just spent it alone in a warm bath. If the hot tap was working since most times it didn’t. 

The carriage ride felt long and there was only so much she could focus her mind on other than the morning she’d just had. Anger ran through her veins and she wanted to hurt someone. She wanted to hurt someone like Ares kept hurting her.

Maybe she’d smash a glass over Dionysus’ head tonight, wouldn’t be the first time she’d done it. This was his fault. He deserved to be punished for it. She didn’t care that the bosses that worked above him made the calls, he was the one she could hit without fearing the loss of her job. 

The carriage haunted to a stop, and she stepped out. _How the fuck was it even colder now?_ Persephone bolted inside her unheated building and started climbing up the stairs to her apartment. 

A couple kids were out on the landings, playing with small toys and they waved to her and she smiled at them. One of her neighbors was standing watching her kids and looked at her sadly. Everyone who knew what she did had pity for the most expensive courtesan in the city who couldn’t even pay her damn heat.

She fiddled with her key for a moment her shaking hands not helping her put it in. Soon enough the door opened and she quickly locked it behind her. She shut her eyes, planning to just collapse there in front of the door when she heard a cabinet slam closed. 

Why now?

She groaned and opened her eyes, expecting to see some street kid trying to steal something. Not that she had anything to steal, or that she’d just let the kid go. She’d feed them a meal, and send them on their way like a decent person. 

There was no street kid in her kitchen. 

”For the love of the gods, Hades, what are doing you doing here? Ya scared me half to death.” She sighed in relief and walked over to the man in her kitchen who smiled at her. “I’m sorry. You weren’t home so I just let myself in.”

Persephone leaned on the counter, trying to catch her breath but just being met with pain. She needed this corset the hell off. She felt warm a hand on her back, but didn’t recoil like whenever any one else did it. “You’re freezing, are you okay?” He asked gently. 

She wasn’t okay. She was no where near being okay. 

He was being gentle, but him touching this dress felt wrong. She felt dirty. “I need a bath.” She told him, and he cupped her cheek. She leaned into Hades’ touch. He was gentle with her. He only touched what she said she was comfortable with and his hands never wondered. It made her love him even more. 

She could feel his gaze on her chest and for a moment she was scared of what he was looking at. Scared this had all been a ruse. But then she remembered. Or More like she _felt_. 

The bruises on her collarbone stung and were large. Of course he’d notice them. He cared enough to look, she knew that. 

“I can make you some tea for when your bath is done.” He offered and she looked away. Persephone silently nodded and went into the bathroom to draw the tub. The water actually came out warm and she smiled slightly. 

The fabric of her dress pooled at her feet and she started to unlace the corset. Her ribs moaned in pain as she fiddled with it but eventually it fell and she could breathe again. The warm water was like a drug, working quickly to soothe everything else she’d been feeling and just let her live in a peaceful nothingness for a while.

Everything stung as she rubbed her skin raw as if it would get rid of Ares’ touch. She was probably as red as her dress on the floor. She could clearly hear Hades in the kitchen and got ready to leave the comfort of her tub.

Persephone dried and went into her bedroom for another set of clothes. There was barely time to think while she worked on auto pilot to redress, this time in a lighter red dress that had a heavy lining. Her hands worked expertly and pinned back a few pieces of hair, when something caught her eye on the small mirror. She turned her head to see a single red carnation on her bed.

A smile spread across her face and she stood to pick it up. The beauty of the flower enamored her and she just watched it for a few moments before tucking it behind her ear. 

”Thank you.” She said quietly as she sat next to Hades on the sofa. He frowned and felt her arms. “You’re still cold. Allow me.” He took his suit jacket off and gave it to her. It smelled intoxicatingly like him and she treasured the sent. 

”I won’t make you talk about it.” He said after a few minutes, rubbing circles on her palm. He was too good to her. She didn’t deserve it. “Thank you.” 

He pressed a kiss to her forehead, and everything felt right. He felt right. Being in his arms felt right. There was no where else she’d rather be.

“I was wonderin’ somthing, maybe you could shed some light on.” Persephone’s head perked up and she raised a brow, reaching for her tea. “Oh yeah?” She mused. He was smiling and it made her happy to know she made him smile. 

”Your nephew asked me to write a song for his play.” She laughed, but Hades was stone serious. “No, really. He asked me to write a love song.” 

She stood, grimacing at her bitter tea. “I’m sorry ‘bout him. He’s young, doesn’t know much better.” She paused for a beat, retrieving a bit of sugar from one of her cabinets. “Did ya write a song than?” 

She expected him to say no. Hades was a businessman, not exactly the type to pick up a pen a write an a song. 

The chair to her table creaked as she sat, turning it to face the sofa. Hades had a look of indifference on his face, which only fanned her curiosity.

”Of sorts yes.” Persephone almost choked on her tea at that. Had he really written a love song? The idea make her heart hammer. If he’d written a love song it had to have been about her.

”Of sorts?” She inquired, and he sighed. “I wrote a melody. I-I couldn’t find the right words.” Her cheeks grew red and hot. He really wrote something. For her. 

Hades stood and moved to her, so she stood too. “If you’re comfortable, could I hear it?” Persephone asked, taking his pale hand. The color in Hades’ cheeks was as red as her dress but she was sure she wasn’t much better. “If you really want too.” He sounded nervous which was a strange sound from his deep voice.

At first she didn’t think he was actually singing, but than she heard an amazing but incredibly low bass of a voice. The melody was gorgeous. 

_”La, la, la, la, la, la,”_


	8. elephant love medley

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shh i can use both sparkling diamond songs if I want too

Persephone hadn’t been this tired in a long time.

Hades hadn’t been able to visit her since that day after her fist night spent at Ares’ because of a work deal he was pulling through. She only partially remembered what he said it was about. He’d sent her flowers everyday they hadn’t seen each other and they taunted her from the corner of her dressing room. 

She hadn’t been sleeping since. The only time she shut her eyes anymore was when the liquor got to her. Persephone didn’t know she could miss someone this much. Hell, she didn’t even miss her mother this much.

Part of her knew it was too good to be true.

What if he wasn’t coming back? What was she to him? She loved him, he said he loved her. But love hurts, love ends in _hurt_. This is what kept her up at night. She opened her heart to him. But all hearts are good for is the promise of breaking. She didn’t want it to break. 

Persephone sighed, and rubbed her temple. She didn’t need to think about this now. She had a show soon and promise the can-can girls she’d spend time with them before. There was no time to feel.

She tucked a loose curl springing from somewhere on her head behind her ear and continued applying powder to her collarbone. The brush was just hard enough to hurt as it hit her many bruises, but keeping her job was more important than complaining about her pain. A knock sounded at the door and she groaned. 

”Bleeding, come back later.”

 _Bleeding,_ a code term of the club that meant one of two things. Either it meant you were covering your bruises, or you were getting rid of scars in a fast method that more often than not involved a bit of blood and a lot of alcohol , hence the name. She’d never done the second but lots of the dancers did, which sparked a mother-like need to protect them. The thing was if she wasn’t going to they had no one who would. Too young to know the men they took on were dangerous, and that their wants in the moment didn’t mean a damn thing even if they begged for it to stop.

” _Bleeding?!_ Open the door.” Oh that wasn’t one of the girls. Persephone dropped her brush and unlocked the door only to be greeted with a terrified looking Hades. “Are you okay?” He asked, shutting the door behind him. He was looking her over, and guilt pinged her for making him worry. 

She wasn’t okay.

”Yeah. It’s just a stage term, don’t worry.” 

He was here. Hades came back to her. He actually came back. Persephone wanted him. Wanted to kiss him, wanted to talk and hold each other until her doubts went away. She wanted him to make her bruise clad aching body stop for a moment and just breathe. She wanted to finally get some healthy sleep tonight, preferably in a close radius to him. As much as she craved being held in arms Persephone stayed put, standing awkwardly in front of the vanity 

Hades visibly relaxed, but then tensed again. Did she do something? Was he here to end whatever they had between them? Had their days apart been enough for him to realize he had a better life before her? It made sense. He was a wealthy man, she’s sure he could have his pick of high class women better than her.

What if he chose her though? She couldn’t offer him anything. She wouldn’t be a good partner. Not that it’d be on purpose, she just doesn’t know _how_. Love isn’t enough. How could she offer more if she wasn’t even allowed to love? He’d be better off with some young rich prick in a tight laced corset and absurd headdress.

Gods she was exhausted. 

“How’s your deal goin’?” Persephone asked, fidgeting with the seam of her robe’s sleeve. Normally she would’ve just gone back to her makeup and had their conversation like that but something told her she needed to focus on Hades right now. The same something that was churning her stomach in dread. 

He wasn’t looking at her. _Why wasn’t he looking at her?_ She’d only seen him nervous those first times they’d met. He shouldn’t still be nervous with her, a week ago he wasn’t fucking nervous with her. What changed? What did _she_ do?

”Uh..it’s fine. Goin’ fine.” His bass echoed in her core. Usually it made her smile. She wasn’t smiling. “Persephone, I...I need to ask ya somethin’.” His voice lowered. _No._

No. Why couldn’t she be happy? Her corset hurt like a bitch with how rigid and unpatterned her breathing was causing her midsection to hit it. He was going to tell her off. Tell her she was nothing but a free flirt with a whore that he scored by making her trust him. Why else would he be acting like this? 

The vodka on the vanity called to her. _Take the sting off the lie off when he finishes. Fuck yourself up so bad you won’t remember the love you felt and the pain when it gets ripped away._

”Persephone I love you.”

_What?_

”I don’t understand.” She croaked, staring at the fidgeting Hades. They already had told each other that they were in love. Why was he so nervous now? Hades still could be leaving her. One last I love you and than goodbye.

”What are we?” He asked suddenly, and her breath caught. “Hades-“ What does she say? What are they? She wants to be his everything. 

”Please listen. I love you and I want to be yours. I don’t know what I am to you. Please tell me I’m more than....am I more than one of them?” _Them,_ the men she unwillingly turned tricks for. They were nothing other than bad memories and scars to her. Hades was everything to her. 

”Of course you are.” Persephone hesitantly stepped closer to Hades. He finally looked at her when her hand cupped his cheek. He was cold. He walked here in the cold for her. “Hades, you’re everything to me. I love you, but.....I don’t know what I can be. I-I can’t..what can I be to you? I can’t court you, I...I couldn’t let you hold me like that knowing that- knowing that _he_ does.” 

He remained quiet. His dark eyes dig into her, she can feel them tearing at her walls. Her walls he broke so quickly. Hades said she did the same to him. He told her he never loved anyone like he loved her. Granite, they’d been drunk but they both seemed to be more honest with no control of their words.

”All you need is love.” 

Did those words really just leave his mouth? Hades, of all people, didn’t he know better? Love doesn’t pay bills, love doesn’t fix everything she can’t offer him. Love is a feeling. 

”You’re being ridiculous-“ Persephone started, only to be cut off. “All you need is love.” He repeated, a bit louder this time. His dark eyes were looking at her softly, adoringly. She didn’t deserve Hades’ love.

”Hades, listen, _please._ You don’t understand. I can’t give you what other women can. You know what I am.” _A whore._ As terrified of him leaving she was, it felt wrong to tie him to something so broken. Something as abused and shattered as she was. He deserved to at least think about how damaged the thing he wanted was. 

Persephone couldn’t understand herself. She was horrified that Hades wasn’t coming back. That she’d done something wrong. But now he was. Now he wanted her, but she was the one pushing the other way. More terrified he’d grow to hate her than of him leaving. At least if he left she knew he’d be better off.

”Let me prove it. One night, just let me prove to you that I love you. _Please._ ” Hades’ voice broke at the end. He sounded terrified. Was he just as scared as she was? 

There was no doubt. There was a shit ton of fear, but no doubt. She loved him, she wanted to spend the rest of her stupid life with him. Nothing else mattered. Persephone nodded, and Hades pulled her into his arms which were warm despite the cold he’d faced for her. She never wanted to leave his arms, the steady heartbeat and man that cane with them.

_You don’t have that choice._

Fuck. 

One of them was crying. It took a few seconds to realize she was crying. She couldn’t escape Ares. Even if she loved Hades she didn’t have the free will to be anything more than the mess she was now.

”We can be lovers.” Hades offered, his voice shaking her the core from where his head was rested in her hair. His arms were tight around her. There was no where she felt safer, and gods be damned if she’d let fucking Ares take that from her. He could have her body all he wanted be he never would get her heart. 

”No one can know. We could be in trouble if people find out.” People were dangerous. Her bosses were dangerous. Ares was dangerous. _A little secret never hurt no one though._

”No one will know.” His voice echoed in her core again, this time drawing half a smile. “I love you.” Persephone said quietly, and Hades echoed her.

This could actually work. Like Orpheus’ play, this could actually work. She could be happy with Hades and no one could rip them apart. She’d be safe with Hades.

“Would ya like me to help ya get ready? I know I interrupted you. I’m sorry.” Persephone almost laughed at him. How could he think he’d need to apologize for that? Sure she was absolutely terrified but now there was nothing she’d rather have done. He was hers now. _She could love him._

”Sure.” She pecked a kiss on his cheek and went back to littering what would be visible in her costume, which was quite revealing, with powder. Hades looked confused but didn’t press, he just watched. He got lucky, because she was most definitely not in the mood to explain herself. 

All the powder made her nose itch, always had. The mass of makeup she put on for the show didn’t agree with her but at least she didn’t turn out to be allergic like she was to the brand she used before. 

”Could ya help me, please?” Persephone asked, holding up the heavy pink diamond encrusted costume. Putting on these types of costumes was a pain in the ass to do alone. They were heavy and absolutely awful to dance in. Yet she did it anyways. 

Hades came behind her and she held to costume to her torso so he could lace it. “It’s gorgeous.” He rumbled, very obviously having trouble with the lacing ribbons. That made sense. The tiny pink ribbons where thin and not the easiest to manage, and she’d assume it’d be worse for someone with larger hands than her own. “You like it?” She almost scoffed. 

”I-Of course I....do you not like it?” 

Persephone laughed, slightly bitter but mostly sincere. “I don’t enjoy the twenty pounds of diamonds draggin’ on me while I dance. Not a big fan of flashy stuff either, even if it’s just for a show.”

”Y’know it’s only quarter seven right? Doesn’t the show start at quarter eight?” Hades asked, accompanied by the sound of the costume tightening in its place as he pulled the strings. “Yeah, but I promised I’d spend time with the girls before it started. They might keep me till places.” 

He made a grunt, clearly not happy with the information. He probably wanted to be with her. She wanted to be with him. Her eyes met his in the vanity mirror and he smiled at her. Gods did she love that smile. 

”You gonna be at the show? I’ve got a new number, it’s called the pink diamond.” She gestured to her costume.. “Suppose that’s obvious though.” Hades laughed slightly, his eyes trained on her back while hers where on his reflection in the mirror. 

”I’ll be there. I bought a table on the ground tonight.” She raised a brow but decided not to ask. Why he would’ve bought a table on the ground with the bohemians instead of his usual box with the aristocracy- _oh_. She never traveled up to the boxes, but she traveled down the pits.

It was a business tactic according to Dionysus. Poverty needed more _convincing_ to pay, while the aristocracy had money to burn and came with pockets stuffed. 

Was Hades jealous?

”All done. I hope I did a’ight.” Hades said, pressing a hand on the side of the costume. Persephone moved, watching her reflection. She looked nothing like herself in all this glitz and makeup. “Ya did great, thank you.” Persephone pressed a kiss to his cheek, and he held her close for a moment. It was silent and she laid her head on his shoulder listening to their breathing. 

She could feel a few curls tumbling out of the the half pinned back style but just shrugged them off. So what her hair wasn’t completely perfect. That’s not what anyone’s eyes were gonna be on anyways. 

”Have fun with the girls.” Hades spoke after what couldn’t have been more than a couple minutes but felt like an eternity. It always felt like an eternity in his arms. It felt like she could he happy in an eternity with him. 

She gave another quick kiss, before grabbing the pink gloves from her vanity. “I will. I’ll see you soon.” Hades nodded and she headed out the door. Persephone pushed through the crowded hallways, making for the literal backstage where the girls liked to wait for the show to start. It was a sea of colors, darker burlesque costumes for the muses and the bright corsets with large multi-fabric skirts of the can-can dancers. 

They were congregated by the small backstage bar, one of the male dancers, _Icarus_ maybe, tending. Eurydice was seated on a barstool, watching her come in. “Seph, c’mere.” Before she could recognize by who, she was being dragged to the bar and having shots laid in front of her. 

“Me against you.” One of the girls, _Kimberly_ , dared. A smirk played on Persephone’s lips at the girl. “You’re on hon.” The shots were either absinthe or a colored party liquor, but either way it burned. Kimberly caves after five but another girl took the challenge. She caved at seven. Then what ever was in the shots changed. 

How many was she at? The buzz made it hard to think. Another shot burned her throat but the burn immediately disappeared and turned into a tingle spreading in her chest. What time was it? 

She could hear the hum of instruments, of the band perking up- wait why? Wasn’t the show a good while away? She’d only done the couple shots right? 

”Seph, places!” One of the girls was grabbing at her, pulling her up. The world spun and the diamonds on her glittered brightly, causing her to start laughing. Everything felt numb, but Persephone didn’t mind it. Was she drunk? How did a couple shots get her drunk? 

Someone passed a boa and top hat on her, and the stage adrenaline started as who she assumed was Dionysus pushed her out. It was dark as the band gave her the roll, and the liquor was making her giddy. She wanted to touch someone. Kiss someone. She craved Hades. 

”The French would gladly die for love.”

A sultry grin spread on her lips as the lights came smack on her. She glittered wildly in the diamonds, probably more so to her than anyone else. 

_“A kiss on the hand may be quite continental, But diamonds are a girls best friend.”_

The other dancers joined her on stage, and she could feel their hands on her. They touched, why were they _touching?_ She didn’t remember that to be part of the choreography. 

_A kiss may be grand but it won't pay the rental on your humble flat Or help you feed your pompus cat,_

Persephone sauntered out to the tables gyrating, the spotlights feeling too hot. She teased the men and women with her boa, dropping the hat with someone and leaving her lipstick stain. Her eyes scanned for Hades, but the music cued for her back onto the stage.

 _”Men grow cold as girls grow old And we all lose our charms in the end,”_ She continued to dance on the stage, dancers grabbing her hips but for some reason her mind wouldn’t let her push them away. A smirk played on her lips but she felt sick. 

_”But to keep a woman in your arms, hang a chain around her throat, made of many caret gold,”_

There was a new weight on her neck and as she sang the lyrics more shiny things were piled on top of her. She snuck off for her quick change, her stomach churning. 

”Dio, I can’t do this. Somethin’s wrong.” She practically ran for his arms back stage but he just pulled at her skirt for the change. “Here. Take this, you gotta finish.” He pressed a glass in her hand and she obeyed immediately. 

Everything felt off, a wave of something smacking her. A tingling sensation spread across her, forcing a smile. The pains of before dulled, replaced by a bubbling ecstasy. 

She could feel the pressure of a a kiss to her head, but the world was light in a way she couldn’t see anything but the sparking diamonds lining her skin. “Go get ‘em diamond.” 

Someone pushed her back to the stage, hidden for the grand re-entrance. All she felt was the pressure of people touching her, arms gripping her to lift her up. 

_”There may come a time when a heart-boiled employer thinks you're awful nice Get that ice or else no dice.”_

She landed on the platform, the only thing she can notice other than the pressure of the other dancers is the weight and new glint of something shiny near her.

_”He's your guy when stakes are high but beware when they start to descend,”_

”Persephone are you okay?” Someone whispered.

_Was that Eurydice?_

_”Ooh, diamonds are a girls best, Diamonds are a girls best, Diamonds are a girls best friend!_

It felt like the song was being pulled from her, and she knew she still sounded great drunk, but this felt so strange. _What was in those drinks?_

The curtain feel in a blur of dark velvet, and someone was dragging her down. A blur of black a tan and a million colors that hurt her eyes. “Seph? What are you on? Talk to me.” She could feel Eurydice tugging at her, and she could barely tell if she was moving to comply. 

The colors of her scenery were changing rapidly until she felt the deep familiar plush of her sofa. She was tired, but the tapping and tugging on her wouldn’t stop. Persephone tried to push her offender off, but strong hands held her back. She turned her head slightly to blurs if white, pale, and black. 

_Hades?_

His deep voice echoed enough to make out his words, and she immediately calmed as she felt the tapping and tugging stop. 

”It’s okay, shh, you’re gonna be okay.” 


	9. come what may

A jealous dancer.

During the show Persephone had looked drunk sure, but Hades had been expecting that. If it wasn’t for how the dancers were touching her he wouldn’t have thought anything was wrong. They were touching in places he knew she wasn’t okay with, yet she didn’t even slightly push them off. 

By the end of the number he’d caught eye with one of the dancers, the one courting Persephone’s nephew, and she mouthed for him to come backstage. He practically ran. 

A jealous fucking dancer slipped a drug in her drinks. Over what? A stupid headline dance? Then Dionysus gave her medicine because he thought she was sick. Two things that weren’t meant to be combined. Persephone could’ve died over a stupid dance. 

She was pale now but not as bad as she was yesterday. It looked like the honey of her skin had lost it’s light, it’s color. At her request yesterday he wiped every inch of makeup from her skin, and now he could see the extensive bruises lining her chest and knew of the ones lining her torso. Hades’ blood boiled.

But his entire body shook in fear. He was at a loss. What do you do in this situation? How does he help the woman he loves? It was the first time they’d been alone. That night everyone in the company was there. Yesterday that girl, Eurydice, and someone who introduced themself as Persephone’s brother where there all gathered in her tiny apartment.

The absolutely freezing apartment. She’d said several times before she couldn’t afford her heat, so Hades payed it. At very least she deserved to be warm. 

Even with the working heat his lover was still ice cold and buried under layers of blankets and robes, all of which sat on top of what she called the ‘warm’ corset. Her head was in his lap, and Hades stroked her hair as she slept. Yesterday had been a bad day, the drugs getting out of her system made her violently sick. They’d barely left the bathroom. Today hadn’t gotten a chance to be bad yet since she’s barely opened her eyes more than to make sure Hades was the one holding her. It broke his heart.

A question kept ringing in his ears. What if he hadn’t gone to see her that night? The time he spent working on his new deal was torture. He kept worrying if Persephone’d move onto another man while he wasn’t there with her. Or worse, worrying if Ares did something worse than bruise her. But what if he’d just left it until he was done? Would he not have known? Or worse, would he find out by finding an empty dressing room when he looked for her? Thank the gods for his stupid unrelenting mind.

”Hades?”

Persephone’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts. It hasn’t gotten better, it still sounded raspy and pained. It was quiet too, and it was safe to say he was sure that it wasn’t on purpose. 

”I’m here. It’s just me.” He answered, stroking her hair again and squeezing her hand. “Why are you still here? You don’t have to stay.” _Why was he still here?_ Of course he’d still be here. He _loved_ her. Hades cared more about Persephone than he had about someone since his mother died. Since the only light in his life got snuffed out by his father. 

Caring about people became hard after that. People either hurt you or they lie and cheat. It’s how his father was. How his younger brothers were. How he was. Until he met her. She made him care again. Care about a person rather than just his money and his papers. 

”I want to stay with you.” _I love you._ Persephone gave a slight nod and hum, which slightly eased Hades. At least she was fine being in his lap. If she wasn’t he might have a heart attack for every moment he couldn’t make continually sure she was okay. The doctor that visited that night in the club said that they would have to watch her. He said for the first few days after she was still at risk of something worse than maybe getting sick and feeling tired. Those drugs weren’t meant to be mixed. Persephone was lucky to be alive.

”How are you feeling?” He asked gently, rubbing circles on her palm, something he’d observed that made her calm. “I’m tired.” The rasp made her harder to understand, but he did none the less. “Okay. Do you feel sick again?” Persephone shook her head slightly and Hades assumed that was all she could muster.

”Good. That’s good.” He mumbled, not expecting her to hear him. It didn’t matter if she did, but the reassurance was for him. For some reason it didn’t seem to alarm Persephone as much as it did him. It was possible she wasn’t thinking clearly enough for it. It didn’t feel like that though. It felt like she was okay with it. _Like she was okay with the chance of dying._ That scared the everliving shit out of him.

Hades wanted to ask her, but what would he even say? Maybe she wasn’t scared. Maybe everything she’d been through made her not scared anymore. She’d said Ares wasn’t the first to bruise her. Persephone told him men had done worse to her than give her black and blue marks that fade. 

He would never even consider hurting her. Hell, if he knew the names of the men that did they’d be six feet under within the hour. “I love you.” Her mumble caught back Hades’ attention. He couldn’t make everything go away he knew that. He couldn’t make her tell him everything that happened. But he could make her feel better. He could give her everything that she’d let him. 

She didn’t deserved to be peppered by question brought up by his oven stupid fears. She deserved to recover in peace. “I love you too.” He rumbled, kissing her hand gently. Persephone winced at something and his brows furrowed. “What’s wrong?” 

”Loosen my corset please.” She groaned, sitting up a bit. Hades immediately moved to support her, feeling her shake even under the several layers of warming items. “Okay, let me know if I do somethin’ wrong.” He gently pulled off the layers of blankets and her robe, starting to loosen the cords of her corset. 

Not that he had any clue what he was doing. Hades had gotten quite expert at unlacing Persephone’s costumes so this couldn’t be that different. After a few attempts of loosening the strings, Persephone relaxed, leaning back on him.

”Thank you.” She mumbled, and Hades pressed a kiss to her head. Her skin felt freezing, so he quickly piled back on her layers. “I broke it.” Persephone said suddenly, and Hades watched her shut her eyes again. “What’d ya break?” He asked, his voice soft for her. She didn’t make sense and he didn’t expect her too. 

”My mirror. I break my mirrors but Dionysus always replaces ‘em. Like nothin’ happens.” She adjusts herself on him and he just moves his arms to let her. It was a strange thing to admit, but clearly it meant something to her.

”Then I just break ‘em again. Sometimes I break my glasses too. But they’re always back on their stupid cart. It’s like nothin’ I do changes shit.” 

_Oh._

This wasn’t about a broken mirror.

”And now when I go back to work everythin’s gonna be the damn same. Like nothin’ happened. I gotta be the same.” Persephone nuzzled her head on his chest. He couldn’t not feel bad for her. “Seph-“ Hades started, but stopped feeling fingers drummed on his hand. “Don’t want your pity.” His half-asleep lover mumbled.

He almost laughed at her remark, but kept quiet. “Don’t I know it.” She’d made it abundantly clear since he met her she wasn’t ashamed of how she lived and she wouldn’t except his pity for the parts that were awful. He understood that feeling. Hades was the exact same way. 

Very suddenly Persephone sat up, her eyes wide. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling sick again?” He pressed, immediately moving to comfort her. Whatever it was he needed to fix it. He needed to make her okay again. 

Curls tickled his face as she shook her head, but it only unsettled him more. “Snow.” Persephone mumbled, her eyes squinting in the direction of one of her windows.

She unsteadily climbed off him, making his worries skyrocket. “What are you doing, sit back down.” He tried, supporting her standing position. She needed rest, and walking around wasn’t rest.

Persephone smacked his hand away, so Hades gave her a small bit of space. She probably didn’t want him hanging on her, but it was hard not to. It was the only way to guarantee that she was safe. “It’s pretty. I like snow.” She rasped, drawing the curtains further back.

She was off balance so Hades slid back behind her for support. “I guess it’s pretty.” He grumbled, trying to relax. _Persephone was okay._ As if telling himself it more would actually do anything against his cruel working mind. 

It was insane to think that he existed without her. The month or two since the night they met felt like an eternity. He wanted to be hers forever. If it was up to him he would’ve proposed two nights ago. Maybe that’s what his urge to skip working on his deal and go see Persephone was for. She seemed so genuinely terrified though. She’d seemed so scared of something, _someone_ maybe. 

“I wanna go outside.” She mumbled. Hades stared at Persephone, who seemed to be completely transfixed on the snow falling outside. “I- You sure that’s the best idea? Ya need to rest,” “-please, Hades. I almost died, let me go outside please.” 

How would he say no to that? His lover was begging him to help her go outside. To let her go spend a few minutes in the snow, and after the shit she’s been through it was only fair.

”You got a roof with access?” Hades asked gently, wrapping the blankets tighter around Persephone as she shivered. He didn’t trust the streets of the area where she lived. It wasn’t a nice neighborhood, but he’d only truly been on it to be at her apartment in it as part of a carriage route. There was no way in hell he’d be letting her down to the streets in this state.

”Yeah...” She trailed off and he waited patiently. “Up ‘bout two levels. You’re really gonna let me go?” She turned to look at him, her dark eyes looking both confused and dazed. “‘Course. If it’ll make ya feel better, Seph, I’ll do whatever it takes.” 

Hades sat her down on the sofa again, going to search for a coat in the bedroom closet. After finding a wool dark green one he shut the door and left the room. Persephone looked half-asleep, curled into herself on the sofa, but he still wanted to give her the option. “Seph?” He gently shook her, and her eyes fluttered open. “You still wanna go outside?” She nodded, shrugging off the blankets and gesturing for the coat.

With their coats slid on, with Hades supporting Persephone they walked the stairs leading up. She smiled, pointing out the doors of neighbors she knew. Up two flights of stairs he opened the heavy door he assumed lead to the room.

A stinging chill smacked them in face as the door opened, but the look on her face as they stepped out was worth the cold. The snow glittered in the small bit of sunlight peaking through the clouds.

Persephone stepped towards the center of the roof, and Hades followed closely. She looked absolutely gorgeous in the snow. The way the sun glittered and she was a gorgeous shape of color in the otherwise white world. The world was a perfect place with her in it. 

Persephone turned around suddenly, curls flying into his face as he felt her nuzzle on his shoulder. “Promise ya ain’t gonna leave me?” Her voice was small, so small it hurt to hear so Hades kissed her head. He gently swayed them in the snow, his nose buried in his lover’s mane of curls. 

”Come what may, I will love you, until my dying day.” 


	10. only a girl

”Hades this ridiculous- _Hades!”_

Persephone erupted in laughter, receiving a kiss on the cheek. In her hand was two tickets to the theatre for the show tonight. It was her last day before she had to go back to the club again, and the second to last night before Ares would be back from his trip he’d so graciously bragged on after the last time he’d had her pined against his oak desk in his home office.

”I’m not dressed for the theatre. Hades, I don’t think I own anything nice enough for the theatre.” She tried, squeezing her lover’s hand and looking up at him. The carriage crossed over rocks and bounced them. He’d said he was taking her out. Of course she’d dressed up, but it’s not like anything she owned was actually expensive.

”Nonsense. You look beautiful.” Hades rumbled, his hand warm as he stroked her cheek. She watched out the window, memorizing the streets they were taking. “Which theatre?” She asked him, distracted with their route. “The Pantheon. It’s in the old part of the city.” 

Persephone bit her lip. That was expensive. It would be full of expensive people. Expensive people like Ares and the aristocracy she hated so dearly. Picks in tight corsets and flashy colors who looked down on people like her. _Hades is rich too._

How did she keep forgetting that? The man she loved was worth more in a day’s work than she was in her entire life. He didn’t act like it though. At least not with her. In fact not with anyone when he visited her at the club. He made small talk with the girls and listened to her nephew drone on about the progress of his play while waiting for her. Hades was a truly good man. She loved a good man.

”Hades are you sure? Wouldn’t ya rather spend your money on-“ Persephone’s words died in her throat. She would have said someone else. A wife, a more permanent mistress maybe. But this was different, _there was no one else._ She wasn’t an expensive whore to Hades. She wasn’t a side fling, she wasn’t sweaty post-show forced sex. Hades loved her. 

”No one but you. There is no one I’d rather be with. I promise.” He rumbled, and she smiled softly. Sudden exhaustion overcame her. It’d been like that. One minute nothing’s wrong the next she’s tired as shit. _Be grateful you aren’t dead._ Being tired was better than being dead. Was it really though? Death had as many pros right now as her life did. Believe it or not life had more cons. Life has Hades though. An overwhelming pro.

”Stop doubting yourself, Seph. At very least ya gotta know ya deserve somethin’ fun after all that’s happened.” She gave a slight mumble, adjusting comfortably in her lover’s arms. Hades had warm arms. His entire body was a furnace, perfect for the bone-chilling cold that never seemed to leave her.

And the drowning exhaustion threatening to pull her under. She didn’t like the side effects of staying alive much. _You’re happy to be alive._ Why’d she have to keep reminding herself then?

”How long ‘till we’re there?” Persephone asked, words slow and slurring. She could feel Hades’ gaze shift, but was too tired to acknowledge it. “At this time on a Friday? Probably an hour or less. Are you tired again?”

”No.”

“Are ya lying?”

”Yeah.”

”There’s time, lover, if ya wanna take a nap.” Hades was right of course- _wait._ Did he just call her lover?

They both froze, a strange moment of silence. It was hesitant. Maybe she was hearing things, gods knows it could be a stupid after effect. But if she imagined it why was Hades pausing too? That meant he actually said it. She should say something. Definitely say something or he’ll get the wrong idea. _Damnit woman say something_

”Lover?” Persephone arched a brow at him making Hades flush. Or maybe he was hot. Maybe he was blushing. Hard to read him in a thick silence with a mind just spreading the urge to sleep. “I-I didn’t...I didn’t mean to offend-“ He rambled in his low gravel like tone, both as rough and smooth as a cave rock. Like the ones she scrapped her knees and tore her dresses on. Not that her mother ever reprimanded her. No, instead she earned the title of Demeter’s little explorer. This wasn’t really all that different than exploring woods and dark caves. There was still the looming risk of getting horribly hurt. The risk still infatuated her.

“You didn’t. I,” She paused again. She what? She loved him and it was an exciting even, invigorating feeling hearing that word directed to her in his voice. Not that’d she’d ever admit it of course. “..I rather like it.”

“You do?” Hades looked at her the shock clear on his face. Persephone smiled, kissing the top of his hand that had been intertwined with hers since the carriage ride started. “It’s what we are, isn’t it? Lovers?” Maybe they could be more one day. When there wasn’t danger in her loving someone. If that was even possible for her. 

Hades’ expression shifted in a way she couldn’t read. _Lovely._ Of course she’d screw it up somehow. Too tired to watch her words and think them through. “Is lovers all we are?” Hades rumbled, his voice cracking.

Persephone almost choked on her stupidity. _See, you and your damn words_ A misunderstanding, a screw up. She broke Hades in a screw up sentence. “No. I didn’t mean it like that, I’m sorry.” Her voice sounded tired. Gods she was exhausted. “We’re so much more, please believe me.”

Hades pulled her close and gently kissed her head. She relaxed on him, the comfort causing her to start to doze. “Okay. I believe you.” He rumbled and she vaguely nodded. “Sleep, Seph. I’ll wake you when we get close.” His voice was kind and gentle. He was always so gentle to her. The small circles he rubbed on her palm, the way he kissed her. It was like a dream. 

A dream of a man too good for her and a life she wasn’t aloud to have. Not that she wouldn’t try. She would. Persephone’d try her damned hardest to get a good life with Hades. A life with no bruises. A life with no men touching where they shouldn’t. _A life that she’d actually want to remain alive for._

It hadn’t hit her that she actually was dreaming this internal debate until her shoulder stung with shakes and A warm hand tracing her cheek. Gods what a lovely way to wake up. In her lover’s arms, the furnace he was keeping her warm. Couldn’t it always be like this?

”Seph we’re almost at the door.” Persephone fluttered her eyes open and sat up, looking out the carriage window, seeing they were indeed only a few carriages away from the proper entrance. The outside of the theatre looked grand in the moonlight, ethereal in a way words couldn’t quite describe. It was a shimmering white with gold accents and trimming.

Hades laughed from behind her, and she raised a challenging brow. “The hell you laughin’ at?” Persephone questioned, not tearing away from the image of grandeur out the window for very long. She felt Hades’ hand curl around her waist, but her body didn’t flinch like it usually did. She wanted him to touch her. She _knew_ his intentions. There was no reason to be scared of him touching what he shouldn’t because she knew Hades just wouldn’t. 

”Nothin’. I just like seein’ ya smile.” He said, somewhere close enough behind to feel his breath. The carriage moved up a little, still a few away from their exit. “You sure I look good enough?” The women exiting the carriages ahead of them were draped in bright light colors, arranged in elaborate and sparkling patterns. Their pale skin glowed in the moonlight. She didn’t look even remotely close to them. “You look a million times better then any of the other women here. That’s a fact.”

When Hades said it Persephone couldn’t doubt it. It was impossible too with how sincerely he spoke, with sweet kiss he pressed to her cheek. Suddenly she didn’t care. So what if those pricks are going to think badly of her? They could all go with their fancy hats and tight laced corsets to burn in hell for all she cared. She was only worried of giving Hades a bad image. If he didn’t care she had no reason too.

”Are you excited?” Hades asked her, his breath tickling the side of her neck. She could tell he was smiling, and it made her smirk. “Of course. I don’t think I’ve been somewhere this fancy in a while.” Except Ares’ house. The house where even the silverware was worth more than she was. The place with fancy silk sheets and uncomfortable oak desks.

The carriage finally halted in front of the theatre and Hades moved to the door first. The open door let in the brisk wind, making his hand even warmer as she took to step out. The stinging chill didn’t matter anymore, _nothing_ mattered looking at the beautiful building before them. The gold wasn’t what caught her this time, rather the ivy and flowers spreading across the east side of building. Blooms not yet dead from the cold glistened with small bits of frost in the moon. 

”May I have your arm? Or would ya rather give it to the sprawling ivy?” Hades teased, Persephone blushing. “Oh hush, you.” She teased back, taking his arm. They walked up the grand marble stars to the doors and inside the theatre. 

_Wow._

Polished walls and floors matched the equally polished people filling the entry space. People looked up as they walked, but she didn’t care. On Hades’ arm she felt invincible, like whatever crude mummers they’d make of a woman like her didn’t matter. A few men among the crowds she recognized, men who’d payed for the services of the sparkling diamond and now stood with their wives. Oh, the lives she could ruin if she said all those men had done. To her, to other girls at the club. They were absolute filth, every single one of them.

Persephone felt like a queen. People moved out of their way, seeing Hades. It was like she was all powerful at his side. “The hell’d ya do?” She whispered, amused by the pricks surrounding them. “What do you mean?” He grumbled back, a smirk on his handsome face. “Why’s everyone like that towards you?” 

Sure Hades was a bit frightening to look at for someone skittish. Maybe imposing at most, but not enough for the extreme respect and some degree of fear in the crowd. She certainly wasn’t afraid of him. 

”Don’t know. Guess I got a reputation. It doesn’t bother ya does it?” Hades turned his head to look at her. His eyes showed worry, as if his reputation among the aristocracy would be the thing that turned her off. A stupid idea really, considering she thought less of the pricks in fancy houses than the thieves living on the streets near her apartment. “‘Course not. Just was curious.” 

”You wanna get drinks?” Hades asked and just the idea turned her pale. She hasn’t thought about alcohol since the incident. But now her stomach churned both for and against it. They seemed to have stoped walking, _why was it so cold in here? <\em> _

__

”Seph? Seph, look at me. Wasn’t thinking, I know ya can’t have it.” Her eyes trained on his as his low voice echoed in her core. Hades’ arm warmed her pure freezing cold. “Can we sit?” She mumbled, feeling Hades start walking them towards the real theatre entrance.

__

The discomfort faded after a few minutes. Her jaw dropped again at the sight of the actual theatre. Murals of old scenes and lush forests in pale greens and golds. A sea of dark red velvet seats, glamorous despite their simplicity. 

__

”Hades...” Persephone’s words faded as she took in her lavish surroundings. Everything in here was gorgeous, expensive as shit, but gorgeous. Barely anyone else had left the entrance and bar, leaving them the entire room.

__

”You really like it?” Her lover rumbled, his arms curling on her waist again. A warm tingle spread up her torso, providing an unfamiliar state of pure comfort in a place Persephone usually wouldn’t be caught murdered in.

__

She laughed, spinning around in Hades’ arms. “I love it.” Their lips locked tight, a kiss both passionate and gentle. Gods, how’d she get so lucky? A man who didn’t want to just fuck her and break her down to her core to give them kicks for their boredom. 

Was it possible to just live in this moment forever? _No and you know that_ After years of what she was, no it wasn’t. Whores don’t get happy endings. No, the sparkling diamond just got happy moments that ended. 

Persephone blinked her eyes shut. Maybe then she could be somewhere else. _Literally anywhere else._ Back at the theatre with Hades, even if that was days ago. His hand squeezing hers during the show and their playful kicks at each other during dull moments. Gods she’d give anything-

”Fuck.” She mumbled, silk sheets balled in her grip tight enough to strangle a person. Preferably Ares but, it’s not like it was a person. The entirety of her body was aching and raw, thanks to Ares and his early morning repeat of the night before. 

”Something wrong, flower?” The dukes chipper, too fucking chipper for this early in the morning, voice purred from the bed next to her. She forced on a coy smile, getting on her side to face the asswhole to her right. “Of course not, dear duke.” 

Ares’ hand stroked her cheek, a wicked and vile grin on his lips. She still smiled as he took a curl and tugged it, as he bit his lips with a grin as he studied the damage he’d done to her. It was disgusting. This man was disgusting. 

”You’d better get dressed my dear.” He started, the only thing at this point keeping Persephone smiling being the calming thought of snapping her abuser’s neck. “Why’s that?” She played along, nails digging sharply into the sheet. “Because diamond, today I have plans for us.” 

_Oh for fucks sake_

”Oh really? Care to elaborate?” Truly, she didn’t give a damn but it seemed to be what Ares wanted to hear. He softly tapped her nose, seeming amused with her act of actually caring. “No, my dear, it’s a surprise. I do believe you’ll like it though.” 

Persephone resisted the urge to scoff and instead let out a giggle to continue the coy act she was trying for. “Then I’ll wait with bated breath.” She teased, turning out to be a mistake as Ares pulled her close locking their lips and holding her in a grip with no out. 

His hands found themselves roughly pulling her hair and _gods did it hurt._ Don’t make a damn sound. If she winces gods knows what he’ll do. Ares continued, and she couldn’t help it. A low cry escaped her and he immediately stopped, pulling away.

”Flower, was I hurting you?” He asked innocently, and Persephone wanted to smack rose doe eyes right out of his head. She knew he didn’t view himself as a man who hurts. That he calls her raw red and bruised body an accident and gets on with his god damned day. It’s no fucking accident.

“Just a little.” She answered quietly, Ares taking her hands in a far too rough grip and kissing them. “I’m deeply sorry, flower. It was an accident.” Of course it was. “Here, why don’t you get dressed. I’ll have the maid bring up your things from the press. See you shortly, my dear.” Ares pressed a chaste kiss to her cheek while Persephone just sat still watching.

The moment he left she sunk back into the bed and let out the breath she was holding. She was pissed, but gods it hurt. Her body ached. Only the gods know what the hell he’s got planned for today and honestly she’d rather just stay sunken deep into fancy silk sheets and warm duvets. Even if it meant catering to that asswhole’s whims, the bed was damn comfortable.

Persephone squeezed her eyes shut. In her mind she could be in her own bed, fully clothed thank you very much, next to Hades. Or in her dressing room listening to young love lorn Orpheus gush about Eurydice, who he hadn’t yet had the courage to actually ask to court yet. Maybe on an between shows walk with the girls, listening to them relay their street gossip and such. 

So many places her head wanted to be, but no. Instead she’s stuck spending the day with an awful man who hurts her. It’s not fair. Her life was never _fair_. 

The door opened, so she peaked quickly from her solitude on the bed. The young maid came in, carrying her clothing, corset, and and other undergarments. She’d chosen quite the ensemble last night apparently, a dark crimson skirt topped with a red and crimson patterned long sleeve bodice. Her matching hat was still dropped on the floor near the bed about the same place she’d left her dignity. 

”Good morning.” She sincerely addressed the girl, a kind smile spreading on her face. The one golden ray of being at Ares was this young girl, who still remained mostly a mystery to her but brought a smile anyways. She reminded her of young cousin in part, mostly just in their close resemblance. Persephone rose, dropping the sheets from around her bare figure, quickly putting on her pre-corset garments. Just as she finished the maid was already pressing the corset to her, pulling at the strings. 

As the corset got tighter it got harder to breath. Forget breathing, it was getting harder to stand. It’s not like her body was working at one hundred percent since the accident, her vision getting spotty as her breaths drew shallower. 

Damn those aristocracy picks and the stupid tight lacing Ares forced her to wear. 

The girl stopped tugging and instead came to Persephone’s front, looking at her with wide eyes. She waved her off, forcing on a slight smile. “It’s fine honey. I’m okay.” She lied, grasping the vanity chair for support. _Just breathe._ Somehow she actually got the strength to stand up proper again, pulling on her crimson skirt soon followed by the sleeved bodice. 

The idea of looking at herself in the mirror to do her hair terrified her. If she didn’t she her new marks she could pretend they weren’t real. Seeing it made everything so real. 

The choice was made for her as she felt her hair being pulled up from its place. “What are you doing?” She asked the girl, turning to look her. The young girl pointed to the vanity mirror and then rested her hand on Persephone’s chest. It was remarkable how this girl knew things. She placed her hand over the girl’s, “Thank you honey. Thank you.” 

She could feel the maid gathering her hair in a bun at the side of her neck, the curls poking out of their for as they usually did. Once she finished Persephone pecked a small kiss to the girl’s cheek. The matching hat was easy to attach without the mirror and Persephone headed out quickly after lacing her boots. 

”Ah, you look stunning flower.” Ares wore a grin as she stepped of the staircase where his hand was waiting for her. An atomic smile found itself in her lips, biting her tongue. Gods knows she’d have words for him if she didn’t. “Catching a carriage?” She inquired carefully, not wanting to leak her bitter tone. Ares passed a black muff onto her other arm, giving a small laugh. Nothing scared her like that laugh. 

The laugh itself wasn’t scary. It wasn’t low or deeply frightening, it was a lighter pitch and warm. It was the man’s intentions that were scary.

”Not today my dear. We aren’t going far.” Ares lead her down the streets, lined with people in bright colors and shinning jewels. There was an awful dread blooming in her as the aristocracy stared. “Whore.” One hissed as they passed, anger boiling in her chest. “Ares can we stop?” 

”Of course dear. What’s the matter?” He questioned, a false concern on his face. He turned to face her, cupping her cheek. “I don’t belong here, look at me.” Persephone tried her best not to hiss despite the death wish she had for him. 

She stood out very clearly from her darker skin to her dark choice of dress. She wasn’t perfect like all the pricks surrounding them. With Hades she felt protected. With Ares she didn’t. 

”We’re fixing that a bit. Look, darling.” Persephone snapped her attention up and to the row of shops Ares had brought them too. They had stopped in from of a dress shop, and the sickening grin he had proved her dreading suspicion. _This_ was her surprise.

The next few hours passed in a feverish haze of pale pinks and bright purples. Corsets getting tighter, tearing and pressing at her ribs painfully. Hats so heavy her head ached from holding them. An unwavering sick grin on Ares’ face as he watched. 

”A proper woman.” Ares commented as they left, her tightly strung in a diamond embroidered pale pink dress with an absurd and Gods awful hat. Persephone pressed on a smile her head spinning wildly. She could barely breathe with how tight her corset had gotten. They’d hailed a carriage, and it headed on darker streets towards the club. She had a show tonight, which Ares had been so fucking kind enough to return her for. 

It stopped after half an hour of travel, and Ares tightly grasped her wrist as she went to depart. “I’ll call for you soon, flower.” He said, the fake kind smile gone as if it was a threat. To be fair it sure as hell felt like one. She nodded, and he let go.

Rage seethed in her, fulled by the other performers playful taunts at her clothing. “Eh, Seph! Lookin’ fancy.” Eurydice teased by her door, only making her surge of anger a thousand times worse. Judging by the way Eurydice recoiled her face was showing it. “I-I didn’t mean anythin’-“ She cut Eurydice off by slamming her door shut and flicking the lock. 

Inside she was breaking, with every strained breath it felt like being torn apart slowly a bleeding out on the floor. Her fingers curled around one of the glasses on her liquor cart. She needed to break something, to make something hurt like she did. 

_Fuck Ares_

Persephone flung glasses at the mirror, cracking both. Booze leaked all over her vanity and floor as she smashed the bottles over her chairs. It didn’t matter if she broke everything in her dressing room. It would all be replaced by tomorrow.

She never changed a fucking thing. 


	11. backstage romance

_Two months_

Two months had passed since the accident, and life had mostly gone back to normal, which Persephone was extremely thankful for. Not that her life was very normal, mind you, but it was her life, and today was one of the odd days she was actually thankful for it. 

Today was a rehearsal for Orpheus’ play, which meant no show after which was a relief. She’s good but not that good. Better, but not completely. Her dressing room was warm despite it being the middle of winter, and it was all thanks to Hades. 

_He_ paid to heat the club. The club was going to have to stop, but he chimed in and saved them from freezing in the bitter cold. He was such a good man. Good to her, good to her make-shift family, good to cuddle in the middle of cold winter nights. 

”What’s on you’re mind, lover?” Hades rumbled beside her, brushing a fallen curl away from her face. Persephone smiled, turning to face him. “You.” She pecked a kiss to his lips, turning back around to be comfortable again. Not that there was anyway to be even more comfortable than she already was, laying on her dressing room sofa wrapped in her lover’s arms.

”Me? What ‘bout me?” He asked while she ruffled his pure white hair. It was funny how it made him so striking, so much so she couldn’t imagine him without it. “Nothin’ bad. Just you.” He gently pulled her closer, even more gently starting to kiss her.

Persephone exhaled sharply, moving his hand down her corset. He was always so respectful to where he touched, never below or above safe unless she moved first. She didn’t deserve someone like him. The way his hands felt alone was enough to top anyone else she’d ever met. They were strong and calloused, from what she didn’t know because he refused to elaborate, but he moved them with a loving kindness. 

“You gonna come to rehearsal?” She inquired after they broke off from each other purely just because they were both completely out of breath. “Of course. Might be a little late I gotta finish the papers.” Hades gestured to the papers he’d placed earlier on her vanity along with the bottle of vodka she opened last night before going home. 

It was a fucking nightcap even if everyone around her raised their judgmental brows. The alcohol seemed to be the only way she getting sleep at night and it’s not like she was the one being offended by her habits. It wasn’t like she still wasn’t aloud to have it anyways so everyone and they opinions can go to hell.

“Papers are boring, lover.” Persephone teased, kissing Hades again and pulling herself even closer. He laughed lowly, moving his hand back up to a safe spot. Persephone groaned at the motion. “I know they are, but it’s necessary.” He rumbled in her ear, feeling his arms tighter around her.

”You haven’t seen the new dance yet. We finished choreography yesterday, today’s just a run through.” Hades tucked her loose curls behind her ear. In truth she was fully relying on muscle memory for the tango due to being quite a bit drunk when she learned it. That didn’t matter that much, she’s done it before. 

”I promise I won’t miss too much. Just a few minutes, and I can start now.” He rumbled, kissing her cheek. His warm hands were a comfort now, and them leaving as Hades stood up felt like the wind being knocked out after a punch to the gut. Her mouth opened to protest, her words died. 

His job was important to him. Even if she didn’t understand it, it mattered to him so it mattered to her. Strange as his array of contracts and ledgers were, specifically the ones with so many confusing points it gave her a headache to even glance at, apparently they all mattered to his business. Which made even less sense since he owned an electricity company.

Besides she had to get ready for rehearsal anyways. Noise from the halls leaked under the door, enough for several headaches and even more relax-less breaks. But the club was a second home none the less. One she shockingly missed when she wasn’t aloud to be in it after the accident. Two months and her mind kept going back to a very blurry and painful night. Or rather the blurred time she’d spent in her lover’s arms after it.

_Both were haunting_

”I don’t know how you stare at those things.” Persephone remarked, her fingers looping to untie her ‘good’ (it’s shit anyways) corset, to trade it for the black rehearsal one she’d found invading the space on her vanity this morning. The costumes for the show weren’t near finished according to Dionysus, so they’d been practicing in mock ups. Quite interesting mock ups, including hers which consisted as a corset and two-slit paneled lace pieces as a skirt. 

A whore playing a whore in a very drafty costume in the middle of winter. _Fantastic_.

”Aren’t ya gonna be cold?” She jumped, not realizing she was being watched. A lie formed on the tip of her tongue but died where it formed. She didn’t have to lie to Hades. Lying didn’t have to a habit with him, he’d just love her no matter what words few out of her sometimes crass mouth. “Prob’ly. But dancing’s sweaty so I should be fine.” A loose curl fell down from the pined back sides but she just gently blew it from her eye-line. 

No later than her sentence finishing she was enveloped into strong and tempting arms. She could feel her body shake compared to her lover’s still form. “You were shaking.” He rumbled in her ear gently, kissing through to her scalp. The world melted away when he held her, like nothing could go wrong in the solitude of hearing each other’s heartbeat. The solitude of knowing that one day she could have a good life with the _good_ man she loved more than words could describe. 

But for now they could only go as far as they already were. A backstage romance, of sorts. 

”I gotta go.” Her voice was small and shaking, _damn her shaking_. He rubbed her bare back, immediately quelling her shakes. Gods how easily she bent for him. All her walls and shit came crashing down because of a hand touching her back with out malice or a sickening intent.

Phantom hands touched her arms, causing her to flinch. A hand on her back, on her thigh, _touching._ Her corset creaked as she drew her shallow breath, a million imaginary hands tearing at her. Blurry faces of men and women haunting her head, nights she spent her damned hardest trying to pretend weren’t real.

Hands grasping tightly to hers as she blindly flinched away, pulling at her offenders grip. It was fucking Hades. “Let go!” She groaned, and shockingly the grip dropped. The hands were gone as she reached for the bottle of liquor decorating the vanity. One drink was enough to feel guilty under Hades’ broken and concerned glare. It’s not like she could tell him what her mind did. Two drinks was good enough to find herself in his lap, incoherently apologizing. 

A sudden knock at the door snapped her attention. Hades held her closer to him and she hid in the safety of his arms. “Rehearsal.” Someone yelled outside and immediately everything came flooding back. She had to go.

”I love you. I’ll be up soon, okay? I promise.” Hades rumbled, muffled by the curls in front of his face from where on her head kisses were being pressed. “I love you too.” Persephone mumbled, dreading the cold of as she stepped off her lover. Her heartbeat was calming from its panicked spike. 

The door clicked behind her, the noise immediately smacking her in the face. Somehow walking her way to the stage she ended up with a drink in her hand, re-filled once already. The funny part was she couldn’t remember how the fuck she got it. Music got louder as she got closer, but not in the tune of the show they were practicing in more of scats and warm ups.

”Persephone, get in spot.” The minute she stepped out her arm was grabbed by their dance instructor, and dragged to center stage. “You really pissed her off.” Dionysus whispered in her ear as the woman left her arm, yelling at the other dancers with her thick Argentinian accent. “What the hell’d I do?” Persephone hissed, watching everyone go to positions. “Don’t know. She just told me she was this morning.” She let out a bitter laugh as he spoke. “Right cause you’re fucking an employee.” 

She knew the blow would hit her old friend hard, but he still kind of deserved it. Maybe not at the moment, but he still didn’t deserve the respect she gave him so it was fair to let him have it every once in the while.

“Remember, Persephone, you were lacking in _passion_. You are the one in control. You make him think he is, but with all the lovers you hold the form.” The woman lectured, clapping her hands to prepare the musicians. “A tango is of passion. You must show passion.”

Dionysus’ hands found one on her torso, the other holding her arm out. The instruments started, and she sighed. Her brain was hazy at best so thank the gods for muscle memory. Thank the gods for feeling warm being this close to someone, rather than nauseated.

Piano notes, Dionysus’ hands trailing down her waist, almost cue for him to sing. 

_”Now I wanna hold you, hold you close, want your bad romance,”_

She rather liked his voice, always had. 

_”I want your ugly, I want your disease, want your everything as long as it’s free, I want your love, say you’ll hold me forever, I want your love,”_

She spun tightly to face him, landing in their position to tango. It was her cue to start, his hand a tad too far down her corset. 

”You know that I want you, you know that I _need_ you.” Persephone drawled coyly, stepping out of position to have her wrist grabbed and used to spin her back to him. “I’m gonna hold you forever, want your bad romance.” He grabbed her thigh, raising it to his waist where she wrapped it on closing any space between them. 

_”I want your love and all your lovers revenge, you and me can write a bad romance, woah,”_

Their voices blended nicely, but his sounded rusty. Made sense since he didn’t sing much anymore. It felt like a lifetime since she’d heard him. They were kids signing their lives away to dangerous bosses and a life lined out with poor pay and binding contracts. He became the ringleader of sorts, she became the sparkling diamond. Gods she wasn’t that stupid anymore. A little drunk, but not stupid.

_”Woah, oh, caught in a bad romance,”_

She dropped into a dip, pulling back up even closer to Dionysus than before. The tango was going slow, but it was supposed to be that way. A tease. Close but could be closer. Enough to make the audience yearn for a more passionate pickup.

_”Suddenly all bright and warm, I want your love. You and me could write a bad romance,”_

Her lyrics were racy, his were genuine. The sailor was in love with the whore, running a tango of unknown lovers and a dangerous man. That tango didn’t come yet though. Right now was a dance between two lovers, based in love and sex. 

Persephone grinned a little, the drunk haze making it easy to play coy. To be touched like this, so _close_. 

_”Woah, oh, Woah,”_

The company chorused with them, the bass instruments starting to warm. As if tangoing drunk was easy now it was almost time to dance her ass off with at least half the other performers. The women’s heals clicked and the men’s shoes stoped down as the company moved forward somewhere behind them.

“Five, six, seven, ocho!” That bossy ass woman clapped her hands and the full music shifted to a bass and low tango.

Dionysus squeezed her hand, dipping her low again before spinning her. Her hand connected with one of the male dancers’, _Anthony maybe_ , she was a bit too drunk for names at the moment. His hand immediately pulled up her leg, a low spinning dip.

_”I want your horror, I want your disease, I want your everything as long as it’s free,”_

Persephone spun from hand to arms, rubbing fronts and small tangos with every man in the group. Their faces were blurry at best, the only thing truly clear in her head being lyrics and tango moves. 

_”Love, love, love, I want your love,”_

Hands traces across her torso, working down low and much below her corset. A strong grip on her wrist, yanking her between men with a flourish. The lace scratched her legs as it twirled, constantly colliding into itself.

_”’Cause you’re a criminal as long as you’re mine, I want your love,”_

Her balance started loosing itself a bit, but luckily the hand she was passed between didn’t quite require her support. The violins chimed, signaling her to move to the women. 

_”Too high can’t come down,”_

The girls she knew better, more specifically she could make out who exactly she was dancing with. 

_”Spinning round and round, can ya feel me now,”_

Persephone smirked, landing into the grip of her favorite (a little blurry) songbird. Eurydice looked hesitant to touching her for the dance, so she gladly took the lead. She pressed the girl’s hands in her own, preforming one of the less complicated and sexual moves of a tango. The world spun sharply for a second, and Persephone panicked.

_It’s happening again._ Fear consumed her for the brief moment, memories flooding her head. She was careful wasn’t she? It was one or two fucking drinks she didn’t remember getting, but what the hell were the chances?

She could feel Eurydice’s grip on her hand tighten, and the moment cane crashing back to reality, the world stoping it’s spin. It wasn’t happening again. She was just overreacting and jumpy. Everything was fine, _just keep fucking dancing._

_”With the taste of your lips, I’m on a ride,”_

She pressed a kiss to Eurydice’s cheek, her wrist being grabbed by her next parter. Kimberly, the next girl, grabbed her waist and dropped her down in a dip so far she could directly see into the club’s’ empty audience.

Well semi-empty.

She could make out the handsome figure in the back of the tables. His sleeves were rolled up, showing his work had been difficult. Her lover’s jaw was tensed, and she could see his glare from her spot on the stage. Was he _jealous?_

It was an enthralling feeling. Whether it was her drunk haze or not, something about knowing he cared that much about her was invigorating.

She was passed girl to girl in the dance, each blending with a pure exhaustion forming at her core. She didn’t slip up in the dance yet, and hopefully she wouldn’t.

_”Some of them want to use you, I just wanna hold you, some of them want to abuse you,_

The tango got rough now in the choreography, and her goal was to get back to Dionysus with a million hands spinning and twisting her away while he did the same.

A million hands touching her torso, her arms, her thighs, kissing her neck briefly and other staged acts. _Staged_ How come they felt so real? All this spinning was getting dizzying. The dance was going so fast now, it was making her stomach churn.

_”I want your love and all your lovers revenge, caught in a bad romance,”_

Her hands finally connected back to Dionysus’ his already grabbing at her. The entire song geared for the big finish and she felt her skirt shift as Dio lifted her up. Gods, was she this tired the whole time? 

On the final beat he quickly dipped her down, and she was only hanging on his waist loosely with a dim fear of falling. “Ten minutes!” The woman screamed and the other performers started murmuring. The second her heels touched the ground it felt off.

Rehearsing hasn’t always been this exhausting right? Maybe drank too much before. Or maybe not enough. Come to think of it she wasn’t well rested at all considering she couldn’t remember sleeping last night. 

Persephone started stumbling, feeling a thin grip grab her arm. “Seph, you okay?” Eurydice asked in whisper as if not wanting to draw attention to them. “Yeah, yeah...just little bit dizzy. Girl, .....oh honey.” She mumbled, reaching to wipe blood from directly under Eurydice’s lip. The young girl looked away, and it hurt her heart. 

The songbird was getting worse. Every day Eurydice was getting worse. Persephone could see it in her eyes, hear it in her coughing. Refusing doctors, shitty living conditions, damn how could she let it get so bad for Eurydice? The girl didn’t have much time left if she went on like this. She had to do _something_. 

”I think Mister Hades wants you.” Eurydice coughed into her handkerchief after speaking, a violent and hacking one. It tore at Persephone to watch. “Okay. Thank you sweetie.” She mumbled, kissing her forehead. “Go see Orpheus, love.” 

It’s not like Persephone was very steady on her feet but she sure as hell tried to not fall as she walked to where Hades was sat. He looked unhappy. Not unhappy, but aggravated. 

”Hi.” She mumbled, settling into her lover’s lap where she felt a grip immediately tighten on her. “Are you okay? Ya aren’t actin’ right.” Hades rumbled in her ear, holding her like he was examining her. _Oh gods_. “All’s I’ve said is hello.” She rested on his shoulder, her head begging her for sleep. 

”I meant with the dance, lover. The way they were touching you, are ya okay?” He asked again, kissing her forehead. Oh. That’s what this was gonna be about. “It ain’t like that. It’s a tango, it’s supposed to be like that.”

Hades probably didn’t understand, but to be fair neither did she, really. Passion was the only word she had to describe it and that’s most certainly make it worse. 

”Okay. Don’t matter as long as you’re okay.” 

It seemed rather funny how much her life was resembling the dance. Lusty and intricate. Hades being the partner and Ares being the beat stealing her away. One right move away from finishing the dance. One wrong move away from committing a crime of passion. 

Either way, the woman leading always won.


	12. lady marmalade

”Are you nervous?” 

The thought of being nervous hadn’t even came yet. Was she nervous? Was her random bout of anger infused depression really just nerves? _Nervous. Huh._

__

”I..maybe.”

__

”Don’t be. You’re the strongest-“ Eurydice’s words broke off with a hacking cough and a scramble for her handkerchief for the blood. There was a lot of blood. It was a lot of blood anymore. Persephone’s brows furrowed at the sight.

Her hands tugged at the strings of her corset, pulling tighter. A shaking breath and a tug tighter. Gasping for another breath and _tighter._ “Seph, stop!” The girl beside her‘s hoarse shout snapped her attention back. Holy fuck did her corset hurt.

”What’s wrong?” She gasped, struggling for the next breath. “You can’t breathe, why are you going so tight?” Good question. Maybe not breathing was becoming a habit now. She did it often enough. 

”Ares prefers his women tight laced, honey. It’s just my job.” _Her job._ Aparently her job entailed not breathing or eating and she excelled at that part. It was no wonder those pricks were so skinny they probably couldn’t eat more then half a bite. 

”I don’t give a rat’s ass what that prick likes, you ain’t suffocating before I do.” Eurydice huffed and Persephone let out a strangled guilty laugh. She could feel the young girl’s smaller hands tugging at the back of her corset until all the pressure released. Air never felt so damn good.

Maybe it was nerves getting her this jittery. Or maybe that was the fear. Either way it was annoying and it needed to back the fuck off if she was going to survive the next day. Well, night, really. 

The new silk mauve robe Ares bought her looked absolutely dreadful against her darker skin. She only had to wear it for a few minutes though, and no one would see it but him. 

_Mid-show meeting_

The letter she found on the vanity this morning next to a new bottle of whiskey. Persephone assumed this meant Ares wanted to just fuck and be on his way after, but at very least he was nice enough to compensate her with an expensive liquor bottle. The way she drank anymore it wouldn’t last long.

And it wasn’t even Ares bruising her that she was scared of.

It was Hades she was afraid of tonight. _Well not Hades,_ but rather what he had planned for after the show for them. Or rather what she stupidly agreed to do with him during an early morning conversation in her bed yesterday morning. It took a full day for the fear to set in.

She agreed to a business meeting. A business dinner with Hades. The best part was he’d never even asked her _she_ suggested it. He’d seemed so nervous about it, so naturally she wanted to make him feel better. It was just a dinner with a bunch of pricks she’d never have to see again after.

Except that wasn’t the case at all. The business meeting was with Hades’ brothers and a few other people. Persephone was going to to be meeting Hades’ family. _She was meeting his family_

”Can you still drop down, Seph?” 

”Huh?” The little songbird grabbed her attention back from her nervous daze, a daze that was becoming all too familiar. “For the split. Can you still drop?” 

_Split?_ What split? None of her songs had an- oh shit.

”Don’t tell me ya forgot it’s Lucky Ladies night.” Persephone could feel the younger woman’s gaze and didn’t need to turn around to know she was close to laughing. Her body let out an ache as if it was already protesting what was coming for it. 

”Then I won’t tell ya.” She mumbled, now moving to stretch out her hamstrings. Eurydice laughed and Persephone just shook her head. It was a slip of mind, really. With everything going on the yearly lucky ladies night wasn’t even in the realm of her thoughts.

It was the same show every year it just meant it was more vigorous for her since she was only in the big numbers. And that also meant she had a wide open window between numbers for Ares. It also meant the ever livid can-can _Fucking great._

Eurydice broke into another coughing fit, but shook her head as Persephone tried to touch her shoulder. It broke her heart to see the girl like this. The girl who meant more to her then most people was dying right in front of her and refusing any help. There was nothing she could do for her either. She hated feeling powerless. That’s all she was anymore. Absolutely powerless. 

“So, you gonna do it?” Persephone pressed, changing subjects. A sharp pain stung through her body as her thighs burned, and gods she was getting old. “Do what?” The young songbird mused, the tension in the older woman’s leg releasing.

“Ask my damn nephew to lunch.” 

She could hear Eurydice choke on the question. _Good._ ”Excuse me?” Eurydice wheezed. “You heard me.” She teased, moving in her vanity chair to clear the floor. 

_Three. Two. One._

Her bones creaked as she lowered, muscles aching. A need for relief swept over Persephone, and her eyes shut as she exhaled. There was something that was calming despite the pain. The familiarity of a pose so straining and difficult. A younger girl, a younger _her_. A unweathered girl, but she was young and full of life. Persephone needed liquor for that life now.

Or Hades. Hades gave her that feeling. He made her feel alive in every sense of the word, and it never dulled. It was like he was her little patch of sunlight in a gray storm.

”Forget how your tongue works?” She mused at Eurydice’s silence. Her corset creaked as she drew her next breath. It was easier to rise then it was to lower with the split, but her groaning muscles made it burn something awful.

”You- Excuse me?” Eurydice snapped and it caught her off guard. Persephone raised her hands to show her ‘white flag’ of sorts, and turned back to dressing. “You too ain’t subtle if that’s what you’re thinkin’. You two are cute but the waitin’s killing the poor boy. He don’t have the nerve to ask you.”

A sharp knock sounded on the door over the commotion of the hallway. She opened it to one of the girls shoving a giant puffy costume into her hands before scurrying off. The fabric felt cool and nice, until she felt the itchy beading of the bodice. The dress swung as she held it out to take in what exactly she’d be wearing.

It was a can-can dress that much was obvious. The bodice was a light green strung with black cording a shining small diamonds, which were going to uncomfortable as shit to can-can in. The front of the skirt was the plain green with black cording panels. Underneath wasn’t plain in any sense of the word. Both black and vibrant orange silk were formed into ruffles along with more green. 

“And I thought my costumes were bullshit.” Persephone mumbled earring a laugh, while unhooking the bodice to attempt at dressing in the loud fluffy mess that was the skirt. “Our daily ones aren’t that bad. Guess ya just got lucky.” She laughed a little at Eurydice’s tease and shook her head. “Guess I did.” 

Getting the skirt on was quite the struggle but it was easier then getting on the clothes Ares bought for her. Eurydice was right, this was fucking ridiculous. She’s not some doll you can just dress up and fuck while expecting absolute cooperation in return. _But that’s what you are. You are a puppet, he is the master._

Gods she needed a drink for this shit. Even her own head was against her and it’s getting old. There’s no peace save for her ‘family’. Eurydice was peace but then worry. Orpheus is peace and then fear. Hades was her peace. There was nothing attached other than love and _peace_.

”What are you doin’? Thought you said ya wanted to be sober?” Persephone scoffed at the comment, gripping the neck of the bottle of whiskey as the amber liquor filled her glass. “One drink ain’t gonna get me drunk.” She countered taking as sip to prove her point. Clearly by the look on her young guest’s face her point was not well received. The liquor burned but tasted vaguely like honey. It smelled expensive, and it tasted just the same. _Thank you Ares_

”Besides girl, by the time I go with Hades it’ll be all worn off.” It doesn’t really matter either way. One drink doesn’t do shit other then taste good and loosen her up a bit. Maybe it’d make the splits hurt less too that’d be a plus.

Eurydice scoffed so Persephone just rolled her eyes. That girl had no right to judge her habits. No one in this entire club had a right to judge her. “You’re being a coward Persephone.”

_Oh hell no_

”I’m a coward?! I’m the coward here? Who the fuck are you to judge me Eurydice?” She was screaming but she didn’t care. “How am I the coward, Seph?! You just drink all your pain away and don’t stand up for yourself. You won’t even be with the man you love because you’re too scared. Maybe you deserve what Ares gives you since you’re too much of a fucking coward to change it for yourself!” 

Tears stung Persephone as the girl finished. Eurydice. The girl she’d taken under her wing since the day they met thought she deserved to be beat. This young prick who didn’t understand the horrors of her life because Persephone was kind enough to spare the little bird the gruesome details. 

Eurydice looked shocked at the words that had come out of her mouth. It stung worse to see that. That was conformation she actually meant it. That it was something she’d been thinking but now she’d actually said it. Her tears fell.

”I spent seven weeks pay on a doctors appointment you never even fucking went too. I let that man take whatever he wanted so _you_ could see the best doctor in town and you refused to show up.” Her voice was unreadable. She wanted Eurydice to hurt like she did. Her heart hurt, everything hurt. It was like a piece of her just shattered. Eurydice deserved to learn her words have consequences. “Y’know why? Because I care about you. But fuck me I guess because you think I deserve to be beat and scarred. Fuck you too then. Get out.” 

Tears burned as hot as the surface of sun as they flooded. How did this escalate so bad so fast? How did she loose Eurydice so fast? The songbird’s mouth hung in an open o and Persephone wanted to smack the shock off. “I-I didn’t mean it- I didn’t know-“ 

”Get out!”

The door slammed and she sobbed as it did. The cool bodice fabric found itself in her hands as she sobbed, the black strings hard to tie with shaking hands. Strings laced in their loops carefully as sobs racked their wearer. The bodice tied and tears stopped. She couldn’t cry anymore. Why would she cry over someone who apparently didn’t care about her. Tears didn’t deserve to be wasted like that. 

_Make up hides everything._

The powder does hide everything. It hid her bruises and it hid her red puffy eyes. She couldn’t afford to cry or look like she was. Feeling wasn’t an option, hiding was. That bottle of whiskey was too. That whiskey was a damn good option. The next few glasses tasted just as good as the idea.

Persephone tied her hair in a decretive form on the crown of her head, curls cascading down onto her forehead. She’d sweat for damn sure tonight. She snuck a quick glance at the clock in the corner jumped. Three minutes until curtain, shit. 

She swung the door open and it loudly collided with the hall wall and holy gods was she not prepared to run as fast as she did. The jewels scratched up her arms while the bodice rose and fell with the heaving of her breaths. Dionysus’ voice boomed backstage as the crowd of performers fell silent. Eurydice was in the corner, mouthing an apology in her general direction as she took her place. Like a mouthed apology was going to be enough.

” _Ladies and Gentlemen, aristocrats and artists, you have come tonight for more then our regular show, tonight is the lucky ladies night, now prepare to meet our ladies,“_

The curtain rose on them, the spotlight momentarily blinding. All the woman formed a chorus, dancing into each other the small beats of their few repeated lyrics. Persephone gyrated to Dionysus, knowing her place in the yearly constant performance. The crowd gasped at her as she got down low before sliding up her back on Dionysus’ side. Everyone knew her, knew of her.

” _And what beautiful ladies they are,”_ He hummed, placing a finger under her chin to guide her to him where he pressed a kiss to her cheek. Something felt off. She still felt like shit. About Eurydice. About life. On a whim her hand grabbed the back of Dionysus’ bejeweled top hat before transferring it to her head. Maybe the alcohol was kicking a little.

The lights sparkled brightly, a warm feeling covering the shitty dread. Persephone fell back into line with the other girls, feeling eyes piercing her back. It was no doubt the gaze was Eurydice’s but it hurt to think about so letting her mind glaze over was easier. The crowd came alive tonight with claps as the can-can music started, laughs and shouts echoing off the walls. Her bones were gonna make her sorry tomorrow that was for damn sure. 

_”So grab yourself a lady because ya, can-can! Why, you ask? Because ya can-can-can..”_

The drums pounded and the trumpets growled in the club’s more provocative sounding can-can, giving their cue. The ladies joined arms, pulsing a beat before starting kicks. Persephone laughed lowly as they did, evoking a laugh from both sides of her. Her body wasn’t provoked by the kicks but she heard pops as she slid down into the splits. It was unbelievably hot onstage but the cool silk being constantly moved and snagged up to reveal the complete underneath was practically a breath of air. 

The dance moves blended with each other as the can- caned down into the gallery to dance with people below. She ended up spinning a few rounds with a blonde woman, a bohemian artist or composer maybe if she had to guess. “What’s you’re name darling?” Persephone whispered coyly and the woman stuttered nervously at their closeness. She was quite pretty that one, even in such a tattered dress. An arm tugged, pulling her away from the blonde to rally back with the other dancers for the can-cans big finale. 

”Everybody can-can!” They shouted, dropping down to their splits and raising the skirts high over their heads. The people cheered loud enough it hurt Persephone’s ears, or maybe that was the alcohol’s doing. Either way it was too gods damned loud. 

The lights dimmed and she snuck off stage quickly, running down the backstage halls and slamming the dressing room door shut. Her chest heaved as she struggled out of the costumes, tugging at the dolls and cords. It was less then two minutes maybe until Ares would start his decent to find her and she had to look like a sparkling diamond in those two minutes. Finally the bodice and skirt fell, and fit shoved under the vanity. 

This was pathetic. It was stupid and unfair. Life wasn’t supposed to be like this, wasn’t it supposed to be special? This was exhausting and at the moment not worth it. 

She tightened her corset, and holy gods, _ouch._ A steel wire piped with a groan and it dug into her side painfully. There wasn’t time to fix it nor was there time to acknowledge the crimson staining the seam. The awfully colored silk robe fell over her shoulders, soon followed by most of her curls. There was a sharp rap at the door. 

”Evening, my flower. You were brilliant tonight.”

Ares was rough. Tonight he wanted to be rough and holy fuck did she feel conformation of that everywhere. Pain radiated from the wound on her side, the wire still aggravating it. Her costume for the night’s finale aggravated every injury and bruises, but at least her hair was tied back up making it less sweaty. 

Persephone was frozen in place, staring at the objects of her vanity. The whiskey’d worn off giving the day the ability the run her over again. The steam train of thoughts crushed and pounded in a pounding that sounded quite a bit like a knock on her door. Wait a damn minute.

The dressing room door creaked open, and promptly shut. “I missed ya.” A low voice rumbled, kneeling beside her. His voice. “I missed you too.” She mumbled quietly, turning to face her lover a guilt blooming. “Ain’t ready yet just give me a moment.” Persephone scrambled for her clothes, the fancy dress she’d brought to change in for dinner. Warm hands found their way onto her arms, causing her to drop the dress. “Seph, shh. Calm down, take your time. Dinners cancelled.” 

_Cancelled?_

She raised a brow and Hades laughed. “Ive contracted a highly contagious sickness and possibly cannot bear to possibly spread it.” Hades said over dramatically, even adding a fake cough at the end. Persephone laughed lightly at his dreadful acting, resting on his chest. Part of her was relieved. The nerves finally left. “You’re a shit actor.” Her voice sounded raw and awful, a fair combination to how bad her heart ached. Her body was an entirely different story. Tears stung again as Hades gently slid a carnation behind her ear. 

”Are we still goin’ somewhere or...?”She asked, trying to mask her voice more. “Figured I could make you dinner, if that’s alright, lover. There’s a carriage outside for us.” He answered, picking up her dress. It was a golden yellow, the color of sunsets and daffodils. “That sounds wonderful, actually. Can ya help me please?” Her hands were shaking from the guilt and sadness tightly winding obsessively in her core. 

”Of course. Seph, this looks too tight. Can ya breathe alright?” His hands were on her waist, which was wildly sinched by the tight lacing she’d done for Ares. Persephone drew a shallow breath and shook her head, feeling him start tugging to loosen the strings. She pulled the carnation from her ear and studied it carefully as her lover worked on her tight and well knotted corset. 

A red carnation meant love. He brought her love. It broke her down at the core, that _love_. She didn’t deserve it. She didn’t deserve to cry over an argument in her lover’s arms while he held her and offered comfort. She didn’t deserve the night cap drinks with him and most certainly didn’t deserve to fall asleep in the safety of his arms.

No, all she deserved was to wilt. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i dare you to guess who the blonde woman is


	13. complainte de la butte

_Peace._

The sun shining in from large, partially stained glass, windows and hitting the bed with warm rays despite the snow still lingering outside. Everything sparkled in the sunlight, fancy houses practically glowing. It was beautiful. More then that it was peaceful.

Soft lips pressed a gentle kiss on a certain spot of her shoulder blade where the pre-corset undergarments ended. It spread a warmth down her core. “Hmm, what?” Persephone drawled, pulling her gaze from the window to the man behind her. He smiled and she returned it sleepily.

“Just wanted to see your smile.” Hades rumbled, snaking his arms around her waist and gently pulling her into his lap. It was a safe space, his arms felt safe. Almost no where was safe anymore, but here always was. “It’s so pretty out there. What’s it look like in the summer?” Flowers probably bloomed happily in the well-managed lawns and balconies. Maybe she’d get to see it.

”I- uh don’t really know.” Her lover cleared his throat loudly. “I don’t go outside much.” Persephone raised a brow and turned her head slightly to look at her lover. “That’s a shame. There’s nothing I like doin’ more.”

”I know. I promise I’ll go outside with you when it gets warm.” Hades rumbled, pressing a kiss behind her ear. _When it gets warm._ They’d still be with each other. Hades would still love her no matter how many months went by- holy shit. _Love_. Is this what it feels like to have a future? To know someone’s not gonna toss you out when you’re no longer new. 

”I love you.” She purred, a smile spreading across her face. The words came out automatically, with not thought required. She didn’t need to fake her smile or remain tense here. And Hades’ silk sheets were a million times better than Ares’. “I love you too, Seph.” Hands intertwined with hers, his soft lips meeting her more seasoned ones.

Persephone laughed, her lover’s breath tickling her neck. He was so damn warm. With every kiss it felt like she was melting into his arms and that that all that mattered was him. Well, all that mattered was him. No one else cared about her. Eurydice apparently didn’t so neither did orpheus probably. Yet her heart still ached for her family.

_They’re not your family. Family cares_

She didn’t even know if Hermes cared, she rarely saw him anymore with the snow slowing trains. Last she’d got was a letter saying he was stuck down south for a while and to please pass the message to her nephew. She did as soon as she found him alone. Handed a letter and left.

_Fucking coward._

”What’s on that mind of yours?” Hades’ voice was as low as the core of the earth and it melted deep into hers every time he spoke. Persephone’d rather hear one word of love from him then a million from anyone else. The way he actually loved her was invigorating. The way she actually loved him was terrifying.

”Eurydice.” 

The only sound was their breathing. She’d told Hades what happened and he never let it slip whether he was mad or if he just felt bad. Either way he didn’t interact with the girl or Orpheus anymore when he visited the club and just stayed in her dressing room. 

”Y’know it’s not your fault, right?” Her lover asked eventually, rubbing her bare arms. Persephone sighed. He kept saying that. _Its not you’re fault._ No, it was. It was her fault that she cared for a girl who apparently wished her beaten. It was _her_ fault because she trusted people.

”Persephone?” She jumped, so enveloped in her self-doubt that the world fell away. A million tiny pieces shattered on oak floors and silk sheets. Nothing but broken pieces and a fake smile. “Huh?” Persephone turned slightly but enough to lay on Hades’ bare chest and trace his scarred torso. He never said why but she knew those kinds of scars, her body was covered in them. His were old, yet marking, especially the ones he’d tried to cover on his arm with that gods awful tattoo he had running the length of it.

”Why don’t we go have some breakfast?” He rumbled, his brows furrowed in what looked like concern. It was concern for her, she knew that. It hurt knowing she worried him. _Maybe if she just put on a smile_ “Breakfast sounds lovely.” She hummed, a small grin forming as she instructed her features to do so. 

This didn’t seem to make him any better though. Instead he was.... _sad?_ How did a smile make him sad? It was just a gods damned fake smile. Hades laid his head on her shoulder while her mouth remained dipped in an o of surprise. What did she do? How did this get fucked up? Everything she touched was seemingly shattering.

”Please don’t do that with me.” Hades spoke, muffled by her skin. _Do what?_ “Don’t fake, Seph, please don’t. I don’t want to be someone you feel you have to lie to like that. Please talk too me.” Persephone’s heart was hammering. Breathing was hard and why was it so damn hard to keep herself together right now? All he’d said was a few words she shouldn’t be crumbling at them. _For fuck’s sake pull it together_ Her smile dropped and she clung to her lover’s torso with as much strength as she had. She didn’t want to lie to him. She didn’t want to just smile.

”I love you.” She whispered hoarsely. Words were having trouble forming and her chest tightened. Was there such a thing as loving some one so much it made you ache? It made ‘I love you’ the only words able to leave her mouth. “I love you too.”

Minutes must’ve passed before one of them moved. The sun was shining brighter through the window and fell directly on them, warming the bed. He kissed her shoulder as she watched out the window like getting distracting was that easy. It wasn’t. 

”Breakfast sounds good.” Persephone said hesitantly. Silence was safe. You can’t ruin silence unless you speak, which she had. “Okay.” Cold seeped into her bones as Hades got up a shuffled around the bedroom behind her most likely for a nightshirt. He was her heat to her own cold. A furnace. And fuck was it very cold without him.

”You got a robe I could borrow?” She chattered, climbing out of bed scanning the room for her corset. “Of course, take mine.” Within less then a minute Hades was back with her, a wool robe falling into her arms. It was a dark black with silver embroidery, and quite beautiful. She pecked a kiss to his cheek as a thank you. “Do you remember where I took off my corset?” 

The floors were neat, no old corset on top of them and no scattered clothes to be seen. Because they weren’t scattered. Her dress from yesterday was gently folded and placed on Hades’ dresser, along with her hat pins and gloves. She had taken her time undressing because she wasn’t there for sex. She was there because it was snowing, she was a little drunk, and her lover had offered his house instead of her apartment which she gladly accepted. It wouldn’t have mattered either way, she’d still have slept in the arms of a furnace even if they went back to her seedy sector of the city rather then a quiet aristocratic street. 

”I’m not sure, lover.” Hades rumbled, shrugging and looking for something in one of his drawers. Persephone watched him move, a grin spreading across her face. He was quite handsome, her lover. “I’m sure we’ll find it. Ya don’t need it until ya get dressed, right?” She paused a moment with her mouth in an ‘o’. 

It was a strange thing to say. Did Hades truly not care if she was wearing her corset or not? She didn’t look much different without, her figure was good naturally, that she knew. But still it was odd to hear someone else think she was pretty without all the bullshit she piled on. 

”You’re right.” 

”Good. You ready?” Hades wrapped his arms gently around her waist, and she tilted her head up to him. “Hmm, not if stayin’ like this is an option.” She hummed, hopping on her toes to press a kiss. “It is an option but we can do this downstairs too, lover.” He chuckled, his warm hand stroking her cheek. 

”In that case, I suppose so.” She laughed slightly, heading toward the door holding loosely to his hand. “Eh, you can’t lead you don’t know where to go.” Hades chuckled, as Persephone lead them into the hallway. “I’m sure I can find the stairs lover.” 

They headed downstairs, Hades leading to the dining room. She stood frozen in the doorway staring at the beautiful window. It was large and stained glass, decorated with roses and other darkly colored flowers. “Gorgeous.” She mumbled in a breath, watching the rays of the sun poor through it. “Ya think so?” A voice rumbled beside her, her lover squeezing her hand. “My brothers and sister in law’s think it’s too dark. They say it should be prettier.” 

_Prettier?_ How could something be prettier, it was gorgeous. Maybe his family preferred the more popular brighter colors. Even then they’d have to be insane to think bad of something so pretty.

”Well I think it’s perfect.” He smiled at her and she repeated the action. “What time is rehearsal today?” Hades asked quietly, pulling out the seat at the head of the table. “At three but we can be late.” She answered, eying her lover. She expected to see him sit but instead he looked at her and gestured to the seat. She raised her brow and sat.

He sat in the seat to her left and she couldn’t help but laugh. Honestly, he was high society raised how did he not know table sittings? It was quite hilarious. “What? What’s so funny?” Hades was laughing a little too, a grin on his face. Oh he knew. He just didn’t care.

”I love you.” 

How could she not? It was stupid a chair placement made her feel so much love but it did and that’s all that mattered. His laugh, _his smile._ He didn’t denounce her, and she knew he never would. She wasn’t a fling to him. Hades didn’t want to throw her away, they wanted a life together. 

_A life. Huh._

”What should we eat? I know I don’t have much.” His warm hand laced with her cold one, spreading a degree of comfort throughout her body. “Don’t really care.” Persephone wasn’t picky considering her cabinets were almost always bare and she hadn’t tasted more then a bite of any of the fancy food Ares usually had his cooks make. 

”I can go see what I have.” Hades suggested, kissing her hand gently. Heels clicked out side the dining room and Persephone whipped around in confusion. In cane bustling in a lean ancient looking woman, in perfect order from her smooth dress to her strayless and tightly pulled hair. Pure panic started to set in, as she stared at the woman who looked at them frozen in place for a moment. 

”Mister Hades would you and your friend like breakfast?” The old woman asked a broad grin spreading across her face. Who was she? Probably a maid or cook, Hades was rich after all. “Sure. Thank you Styx.” The woman smiled and turned on her heel, slowly leaving the room. Persephone stared at her lover confused.

Their was something in Hades’ eyes, not something like most men and their maids. Not sexual, but love maybe. The panic grew a little so she cleared her throat. “Oh. I’m sorry.” He looked at her, taking her other hand as well. “Ya never said ya lived with a sweet old woman, Hades.” She teased, her leg nudging his briefly. He chuckled a little. “Who is she?” 

”My housekeeper of sorts. Styx knew my mother and helped uh... helped raise us after she died.” He paused, looking down. “She needed work but she doesn’t have such a good memory, so she wasn’t findin’ any. I hired her. She cleans the house when she remembers to. I pay her whether she does or not though. There’s apartments less then a block away, she lives there.” 

An extreme adoration for him overcame her again. Hades was a good man. He was kind, gentle, and sweet. Gods she loved him. Persephone kissed his hands as lightly as she could. “I love you.” She said, earning a smile. “I love you too. But you keep sayin’ it, Seph.” He teased. 

”You keep reminding me why I do.” 

His lips slammed with hers in a strained kiss, due to the table between them. It was warm and perfect as she stood from her seat to be closer and slid directly into his lap. It was safe, she was safe her. Kisses were safe and gentle, she was the more forceful one. 

”Styx ain’t comin’ back is she?” Persephone mumble against Hades’ lips, as he slightly laughed. “Prob’ly not.” They kissed again and again, the sun warming her side and adding to the pure bliss of the moment. This is what life should be like. 

_Is this what life could be like?_

”I’m sorry, _what?_ ”

Persephone stared at the script in her hands as Dionysus complained, briefly looking at Hades beside her. He was leaned over her shoulder, reading the script changes as she was,and by the look on his face just as confused. The new script was bizarre at best and wasn’t what Orpheus had written before. The question was why. 

She shivered in her corset and felt warm arms draw her closer. Eurydice was coughing in the corner of the stage and she couldn’t bare look at her. “I changed it.” Her nephew fidgeted like he did when he was nervous. To be fair Dionysus yelling his complaints probably didn’t help him much. Normally she would’ve said something but considering the circumstances she didn’t. The gapping hole of knowing he’d side with Eurydice was too much. 

Hearing him say it would be too much.

”Am l reading right?” Hades whispered in her ear and it caused a laugh. She could feel the stares as she did, but the they didn’t matter. “Sure are.” She whispered back. “You mean-“ “Mhmm.”

”Let’s refrain shall we,” A smirk was spreading as an aching feeling was worsening. “Yes, please, let us.” Dionysus stood, reaching a hand out to the dance instructor, whom he was most definitely still fucking, and dramatically pulled the woman into a deep dip. 

”So after all the love and fighting, instead of living happily like you had it before, now Pluto finds Prosperina being abused into dancing with Mars at the masquerade and fucking kills himself. Did I miss anything?” Persephone snapped, and Orpheus looked surprised at her bluntness. “Well-l...No, well yes, but not like that..” Her nephew stuttered, staring down at the script in his shaking hands. 

_Oh._ He didn’t write this. Oh she really screwed up this time. “Hey, darlin’ we’ll run it though, eh? I’m sure the ending’ll work fine.” Her voice softened and she stood to go by the boy. His hands were shaking terribly, so she pressed hers over his. “Honey, it’ll be fine.” Eurydice was still hacking in the background and he seemed to jump with every cough. Poor boy.

Maybe they didn’t love or care about her it was hard to soberly act like she didn’t still care about them. She couldn’t just lie to herself no matter how had they hurt her.

”Let’s run it from where we left off.” She announced to the groan of the performers, specifically Dionysus. Hades stood and came to kiss her as she stepped away from Orpheus, his arms securing briefly on her waist. “I love you.” He grumbled. “I love you too.” He let go and drifted off the stage to a seat at the first table, where he usually sat when he wanted to be close to her. 

Not that he had admitted it, she could just see it in her lover’s eyes. A possession when Dionysus touched her, and when Eros, who was playing Mars, did the same. Eros was nice and always tried to be gentle even though his character was abusive, and she was decently sure the reason he was so hesitant was because of how terrifying Hades was towards him. 

They took their places on the stage, dramatically placed across from eachother. “Pluto, you’ve come!” She squealed, running to his arms and spinning into them. “Of course, my love, I would never leave you in the clutches of that...that _beast!_ My Prosperina, you are safe now.” Persephone and Dionysus swayed with eachother in close embrace, the band staring up. She opened her mouth to begin her song.

”Don’t you think ‘beast’ is quite strong?”

The entire room tensed as Ares’ voice rung through, and she didn’t need to look to know Hades was one wrong look away from smashing a glass. “Strong how?” Dionysus groaned, spinning her out of his embrace, the scene clearly over. “Maybe Mars is just misunderstood. I believe beast is a tad too awful.” 

Persephone rolled her eyes, hoping off the stage and plastering on a grin. “I’m sorry it upsets you, dear duke.” She said, walking to Ares and allowing him to take her by the waist. She could feel Hades’ eyes. She wanted to sob.

He knew she had to play like this while he was here. Gods please let him not leave her here alone with them. “Well, flower, we can always rewrite, can’t we?” Ares said forcefully with his sickening grin on his features. Footsteps behind them. Hades’ footsteps. The club door slammed shut and a chill filled the room.

“Run it again, shall we darling?” She nodded and hopped back to the stage, taking place again. If she shut her eyes Hades was still in the seat. When she opened them a glimpse made her smile. His face watching from the small window on the door. He didn’t leave her. 

Suddenly everything was warm again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Styx the goddess(not the river) i felt like i should mention this ;)


	14. shake it out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> do me a favor and go listen to ‘shake it out’ on youtube. it was from the boston run of moulin rouge :)

Persephone was absolutely _drained._

The week’s show routine was practically murder on her aching body and the vigor of it was ridiculous. Hades hadn’t been in the audience and she knew he wouldn’t be but his empty seat still stung. 

Sweat glistened under the backstage lights, the adrenaline of the finale and bows still running high enough to dull her aching bones. Thank the gods for that, she didn’t have time to be hurting tonight. 

Fuck Ares and fuck his stupid entitled ass. Fuck Hades’ business dinner that kept him from the show tonight. Fuck her stupid life. 

_Get it together woman_

Music hammered from the stage as the rest of the bows happened and her headache was forming so she ducked into the dressing rooms hallway before it could get bad. A sweet aroma filled her dressing room, one the previously hadn’t been there.

 _Oh, Hades_. Brilliant red carnations littered the entirety of the empty space on the vanity along with arrangements lilies and babies breath. The sent of the flowers was intoxicating and giddy, a perfect way to change her mood back to happy. 

She picked up several of the loose carnations into a bouquet, using a hair ribbon to secure it. The red flowers were beautiful and meant so much to her. Of course he’d want to make up for not being there. 

A note poked out of one of the lily bought and Persephone eagerly tore it open. It was ordinate as always with her lover’s handwriting sprawled across it. _I’ll be at the club after Ares leaves, and we can go home._

Ares.

Gods forbid she forgets about that abusing prick for more then a damn second. Shit all the flowers would have to hide. He can’t see them.

A knock on the door sent Persephone into panic, looking down at the flowers in her hands. _Shit shit shit shit._ “Persephone are you in there?” The duke’s voice echoed as he pounded at the door. “Yeah, just one moment.” She shoved the flowers behind the sofa and covered them with one of her skirts.

The door opened. Her eyes dropped to the floor. “Ah, you look ravishing darling. I quite enjoyed your performance tonight.” Ares stepped closer so she smiled seductively at him. His sickening grin spread widely. 

”I have a gift for you dear.” Her heart beat shot up again. “You really don’t have too, your grace,” Persephone countered only to have her chin grabbed soft yet roughly by the man in front of her. “Nonsense, I like everything of mine to sparkle. That includes you.” He said forcefully and with a mock kindness.

”Whatever you wish.” She mumbled, his hand dropping. “That’s what i was hoping you’d say.” Ares grinned and stroked her cheek. “It’s back at my estate. I wouldn’t trust my purchases _here_ ”

Fuck Ares. The worst part was she couldn’t defend herself. She couldn’t defend the girls, she couldn’t defend the club. No she just had to hear his entitled ass droning in about how it was awful to have to lower himself to be here with people like her. 

”Thank you.” She mumbled, his hands on her shoulder now. They were soft and not possessive yet. That always seemed to change. His moods changed like the wind and the cloudier he got the more dangerous he was.

”As for tonight, I have a carriage due for us in ten minutes. Get yourself dressed and we’ll be off.” Ares instructed, moving his hand to the clasps on her costume, his lips finding her neck. “Ares..” The words left quickly as he bit and was replaced by a moan of pain. Oh gods it was hurting where he always bruised. They never went away the just ached awfully and constantly. 

“I have a meeting late, but I trust you’ll make our time worth my while, yes?” The way he gripped her wasn’t gentle anymore, it was like it hardened. He hardened. _Shit._ “Of course dear duke.” Persephone drew on a smile as tight as Ares liked her corset. “I’ll have a carriage bring you back here after we finish.” Ares looked around the dressing room before pulling her tight against him and locking their lips. 

He tasted like his lily water cologne. It wasn't sweet or musky it was simply just odd in it's sent and taste. It was like a blow to the stomach every time she smelled it, almost nauseating every moment she had to smell more of it. Most expensive perfumes and such smelled awful or too floral for her liking, but everyone who could afford it seemed to love it. Flaunting their fifty dollar perfume on their jewel covered necks down to their bright multilayered silk and lace skirts. Ares bit down on her lip and it radiated pain. 

"Shall we then, darling?" Her corset felt tight, breathing was a struggle. Her heart started pounding vigorously again and she looked with a tight lipped smile at the duke. Persephone was damned. Damned to bruises, damned to being his fucking plaything. Part of her was terrified. _She always was_ "Could we linger a moment?" She asked, only for Ares to sigh dramatically.

”Flower, darling do hurry.” 

_That was the last fucking straw-_ ”Of course, dear duke. I just need a moment, I forgot somethin’ backstage.” Persephone hadn’t forgot anything backstage, she just needed to get away. Even if it was for five minutes it would be five minutes she wasn’t with Ares. 

Ares gripped her wrist tightly and she winced. “Do hurry back, I don’t have my time to waste.” He hissed, and she stared down at his hand gripping hers so hard she couldn’t feel anything but an awful tingling sensation. He let go, and she scurried out the door of the dressing room. 

The performers lingering in the hallway stared in silence as she left. Ares must’ve been yelling loud this time. Sharp pain plauged her wrist, along with the heavy beating of her heart. Tear stung as Persephone rubbed her wrist roughly.

 _Fuck Ares_. Poor choice of words considering that’s what she’d be doing later. At least until he was tired of making her bruise and bleed until he reached his gods damned pleasure.

Persephone’s mind was too abuzz to actually pay attention to where she was walking. She could feel her ‘family’ staring as she stalked by. Gods her wrist stung. It wouldn’t matter soon though, he’d make somewhere else hurt worse. 

Laughter echoed and so did light music. It was after the show and the girls probably persuaded the band to stick around a little longer, they had a way of it. Backstage was colorful and filled with still costumed dancers with the air reeking of liquor and pipe smoke. It smelled like home. 

_How depressing was that_

”Persephone! Join us, eh?” Fuck. She’d ducked in through the shadows but apparently the girls had better eyesight drunk then sober. “I can’t.” Persephone mumbled, the ache in her wrist throbbing. “Why not? Please, you look sad come have a drink with us.” Kimberly stepped forward, reaching a hand out and she flinched at it. 

Out of the cover of her eye was a hacking Eurydice, blood soaked handkerchief clutched tight to her chest. Heartbreak happened all over again. “I can’t, Im due with Ares.” She retorted, stepping further back. Everything hurt from the heart to the hand and it was getting gods damned old. 

”Just for a few minutes then?” Jessie asked, stepping away from the bar and towards her. She countered the step. “He hates being kept waiting.” Usually she didn’t give a damn but if earlier is any indication of the fowl mood he was in it was better not to risk getting a bone broke rather then just a bruise.

 _Eyes._ Eurydice’s eyes. The hacking in the room had stoped and she knew the feeling of those dark hues like the back of her hand. Every time since their fight those hues stung like a million honey bees in summer. Her wrist stung too. Gods what a hot mess. 

”Did he hurt you?” 

How the fuck did they know he- _oh shit._ Persephone glanced down at her raw red wrist, the one she’d clearly been rubbing. She didn’t want their damn pity, she cared too much to about them to see them try and fail to keep her safe there with them. It’s not like she had a choice right now.

”No.” She mumbled, storming past the girls closing in on her. It was hard to draw a gods damned breath and her corset wasn’t even tight laced yet. Silence overtook the room besides for the oblivious band, wailing a dark dancing tune. Did she really cause that by a simple lie?

She slipped out the door as silently as she’d come only to have a hand place on her shoulder and stop her. Panic rose. There was a million different people that could be grabbing her and she knew it wasn’t Ares because he’d never go this far back. According to him it was too low brow to actually go further then her room. Figures. 

”Damn it Dio, don’t touch me.” Persephone snapped seeing the person grabbing her. “I’m sorry, Seph, but this is important. I need to talk business with Ares and it will most likely run late, but I need to make sure he’s _satisfied_.” Satisfied? Fucking satisfied? How dare he. How dare he say that to her. 

She felt his eyes lock with her wrist. “Like I care what you discuss. I’m damned either way.” She hissed, stepping away. “Seph, what I mean is that I need to borrow him and it’ll probably run until his investor meeting. You won’t see him any more tonight.” She froze. He didn’t really have business to discuss, this was for her. Maybe her old friend still had a conscious after all.

She studied him carefully as he studied her. The makeup was probably sweating off to show the bruise littering her body and that’s probably why Dionysus’ brows were furrowed. “Thank you.” Persephone whispered, Dionysus pulling her close to press a kiss to her head from his foot taller advantage. “Ya deserve a night to dance without the devil on your back, Seph. I’m so sorry.”

He whispers another apology before pulling back. “Go have fun. That’s the least I can do for what he does.” Dionysus left with that and Persephone just stood in silence. She didn’t have to see Ares. 

_There didn’t have to be more bruises today_

Her wrist throbbed but a sense of relief was washing over her. The sound of the music caught her attention again, the laughing of the girls. Her feet carried her back before she was even processing it.

”Persephone?” Everyone silenced and looked at her. Their gazes hurt. Hopefully they weren’t mad she came back. They probably didn’t even care really. No one did when put to it. 

”C’mon sister, have a drink with us.” Afra ran to Persephone, arms wide and can-can skirts billowing. Her arms her warm as she hugged her, and she held the younger girl close. Before Eurydice came to the club Afra was and they were just as close. Now the songbird hated her and Afra was married to some nice bohemian man she’d met a few times.

Everything changes so fast. How come everyone in her life changes so fast? It’s ridiculous and unfair. The hacking coughing was back and it was crushing. She couldn’t hate her. Even if Eurydice didn’t she still cared for her and that wasn’t gonna change. 

_Damn Eurydice for not going to the doctors_

_Damn her for still caring_

”Seph?” Persephone snapped from her head, her hand now in Kimberly’s. “Sorry i didn’t hear ya.” She put on a smile for the girls, looking around as they danced and laughed. Maybe she was going crazy. Wouldn’t be far off. “Asked if ya wanted to stay with us and have a drink.” The girl repeated and she paused. 

There was so much telling her not too. So much saying just be miserable in wait. Y’know what? Screw it. Screw Ares, screw her life. If she wanted to drink with her makeshift family and damn the rest of the world then so freaking be it.

”What the hell? Why not.”

Kimberly squealed and lead to the bar, the cigar smoke only got thicker. The muses smoked and so did a few of the older girls that Persephone may have accidentally taught the habit to back when she did. “What may I get you m’lady?” Timothy teased from behind the small ransack bar, still in his costume. “Strongest ya got honey and a tap for the girly.” She answered pointing her joke to Kimberly, who just shook her head and laughed. 

”Lucky for you one of the box pricks left their own.” The younger man reached behind the bar and took out a half filled bottle of expensive russian vodka. “Lucky for me.” Persephone echoed, an actual genuine grin spreading across her face.

Timothy poured her out a glass and slid it across the bar. The vodka stung and burned but she _thrived_ on the feeling. Hurt she could control and one that tasted good in the aftermath. Damn, this was very strong. The glass refilled or did she never empty it? Didn’t matter either way did it? Warmth spread down to her core with every sip and subsequently every burn.

”Dance with us, Seph,” One of the girls, all of which were blending together at the moment called out. Standing and dancing couldn’t be that difficult could it? Her feet must’ve connected with floor but it felt much different then that. Like they connected on ice, intolerant and slippery. Someone grabbed her hand and lead to the floor near the band.

_____________

Good gods was it cold. 

The winds seeped into Hades’ heavy wool coat, and reminded him the sheer stupidity of getting out of he carriage three blocks from the club. He probably wouldn’t have if he wasn’t exhausted and running on the knowledge he was going to see Persephone. 

Business dinners with his brothers was awful enough without the nauseating knowledge that his lover was in trouble. Trouble named Ares, a man he’d slaughter for his actions if he got the chance too. If he had a chance without the chance Persephone would get hurt in the crosshairs. 

Is this what it was like to love someone? To be ready to kill someone who’s wronged them? He’d kill every man who ever laid a finger on her if she wished it. Gods this was an odd feeling. It was an enthralling feeling.

The club was getting closer, thank the gods. At least he might get inside before the snow started again, and then Persephone’s apartment was only a few blocks away. The time and cold would pass quicker with her there, it always did. She made everything better even the bitter cold and grimy streets of the seedy part of the city where she lived.

Music echoed out the slightly ajar door to the club’s entrance and the heat immediately wrapped like a blanket around Hades. Laughter filled the main room as he entered it, coming from behind the curtain and most likely backstage. He snuck out the lower box door to one of the dressing halls and to the backstage which was loud and enveloped in the sent of booze and cigar smoke. His nose wrinkled at it.

He scanned the room for his lover until his eyes set on her in the middle of the crowd dancing with one of the younger girls. He snuck by the dancers who payed no attention to tap her on the shoulder gently. She looked exhausted. Even exhausted she looked ethereal though. 

”Hades!” Persephone slurred loudly, immediately wrapping her warm arms sloppily around his neck. Hades chuckled a little, before almost gagging at how much she reeked of strong liquor. “You’re drunk, Seph.” He rumbled and she nodded lazily. Her hair tickled his face in its updo as she did so. Gods she was gorgeous. “My feet hurt.” She complained in his ear, or as close as their heights allowed even though it was loud enough to hear if he’d been on the other side of the room.

”Why don’t we go home, it’s late.” He whispered to her, pressing a gentle kiss to her and earning giggles. It shouldn’t take much coaxing to get her home, he hoped at least. “I want you. You comin’ home?” She mumbled, this time very quiet and hard to understand. “I’m comin’ home. Let’s go get your coat, lover.” 

Hades lead his drunk and unsteady lover to her dressing room only to notice the odd lump behind the couch and the absence of the flowers he’d sent. She must’ve had to hide them from Ares. Damnit he should’ve thought it through more. 

”Thank you for the flowers.” She slurred, grinning as Hades fastened her coat very carefully and she moved back onto his chest. He grabbed her hand tightly as she clung to him so tightly it almost hurt. “Cmon, let’s go.” He grumbled somewhat lightly, leading her forward to the door. The hallway was crowded, but the people seemed to part as they came by. 

The wind stung as the door to the street opened, and Persephone broke off from his arms and stumbled into the street. Small snowflakes fell and Hades chuckled. “You’re gonna get hit y’know.” He teased her, the panic not actually there considering it was late and they would hear it if a carriage was coming. “No I ain’t and The snows pretty.” 

The moonlight shinned on her, reflecting her beauty and it sparked something in him. Love, even more love for the woman he’d give his life for. Her laugh was intoxicating and her smile was just the same, even drunk off her ass. 

Hades joined her in the street, taking her hands and giving her a slight twirl while the snow crunched under their feet. She laughed drunkly and very loudly, swaying on her own naturally. 

”Wanna go home.” Persephone mumbled after a few minutes. He looked at her a bit puzzled at the change. “Why’s that?” He asked, softly pushing a falling curl from her eye. “My corset’s hurtin’. I didn’t fix it yet.”

He nodded and started walking them towards her flat, holding her tighter as they crossed to the worse side of town. He’d never understand how she could see the beauty in a place like this but somehow she found a way too for most things. 

A bark sounded from the alley they were passing and Hades froze pulling her closer to him. “Hades, you hear somethin’?” She whispered slurring bad, and his heartbeat shot up a little. “Stay still, Seph.” 

Another bark and a jet black street must came running out and staring at them directly. Quicker then he could realize Persephone was gone from his arms. “Hi, sweetheart.” She slurred, so close to the dog Hades expected it would bite before he could pull her back. It didn’t. 

”Lover, please come back. Leave the dog, you don’t know where it’s been.” He stepped closer, only for her to start petting and scratching the creature that didn’t seem to mind it. “What’s your name honey,” she drunkly searched for a collar and each movement made him more nervous.

”I’m gonna take you home baby.” 

”Persephone, lover you can’t-“

”Don’t listen to him babies, you’re comin’ home with us.”

Hades pinched the bridge of his nose, as the street dog nuzzled on his drunk lover. He wasn’t winning this was he. 

”He’ll freeze, Hades, please.” Her eyes were tearing as she slurred. Hades knew the only reason she was asking him was that she was drunk, and because they were together most of the time. _And because she loves you_

”Fine.”


	15. diamond dogs

It was very cold.

Well, outside it was cold or at least that’s what Persephone assumed due to the frost covering the stained glass and the slight draft seeping in through them. Inside it was slightly warm, but her spot laying in her lover’s lap was particularly very warm.

Hades’ papers rustled as she assumed he turned the page and she tilted back the rest of her wine. “Seph?” He rumbled after a few minutes of dreadful quiet. Something about silence had been ruined for her. Though she wasn’t exactly sure what aspect of it was, but gods she hated it. “Mhm?” There was something warm in his eyes when she looked into his coal colored hues. 

”Papers are borin’ would ya wanna do somethin’ before you gotta go?” Her brows furrowed at that. “It’s barely nine yet, can’t we not talk ‘bout tonight?” It was more of a beg then anything else. It was supposed to be a good day with a dinner engagement she didn’t want to think about until she stepped into the cold to go to Ares’.

”Oh. I’m sorry Seph, I didn’t....you..I’m sorry.” Persephone could feel him pressing a kiss to her head so she twisted around and sat up. “Don’t be sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped.” She looked down as Hades stroked her cheek, before laying on his shoulder. Her dress was probably wrinkled awfully by now but truly she couldn’t give less of a fuck about it. “Why don’t we go out for breakfast, lover?”

”I’d like that.”

Truthfully she’d rather just lay in his arms for eternity but her life wasn’t like that. Instead she’d just take what she could get. 

A whimper sounded from next to them on the sofa. Persephone snapped up and immediately looked to their large street dog, taking up the absolute other half of it. The dog’s coat was still slightly shining from his bath late last night after several glasses of red wine and Hades being sleeping so he couldn’t stop her from doing it drunk. 

”Before you ask, we ain’t bringin’ your dog.” The dog whimpered again at that and looked at her sadly. “Don’t be mean to _our_ dog, Hades.” She retorted, looking pointedly at her lover and then very kindly at the gentle beast before her. Their dog had proved to be a darling in the five days they’d had him, even if Hades hadn’t taken to the pup like she had. He would eventually. Or at least she hoped it. A deep love of the dog had already blossomed in her even if she didn’t quite remember deciding to take him home off the streets.

”Ain’t bein’ mean, I’m just sayin’.” Hades grumbled and her brows furrowed slightly. “Okay, I wasn’t even gonna ask.” Her corset felt tighter with the lie, but it was only an illusion. It rustled as she bent over slightly is an odd position to kiss the tip of the dogs nose while still remaining on her lover’s lap. “You were Persephone. I know you were.” 

The corset drew tighter and she could faintly feel the illusion of something piercing her rib cage. _Oh fuck that was real._ A slight groan escaped her lips only for her hands to start fiddling urgently with her black blouse and then the high risen skirt. Hades must’ve realized something was wrong and their banter was over because she could feel his warmth as he started to help undo and untie the rather complexly fastened blouse. 

”Are you in pain...” She didn’t even to look down to know a thin patch of blood was most likely showing through her cheap corset fabric. After barely even a chance to fully process, Hades had her corset off and in her hands while he pressed his hand or maybe a cloth to a place on her undergarments near her rib cage. A blood covered steel bone was poking largely outside of it’s channel. She’d fixed it weeks ago but she supposed itd just worn again since her stitching skill wasn’t particularly educated or good.

”Seph, you’re bleeding.” 

”Ya think?” She hissed in pain. “You got bandages in the bathroom?” Hades nodded and she stood, her ribs aching. “Let me come with you, please.” She have a slight nod, and his hands connected to her rib cage to steady hers that had apparently started chattering. 

He sat her on the edge of the tub and she shut her eyes to rest against the wall. It was an awful feeling but it’d happened so many times over the years it got easier to deal with this type of pain. As long as she just breathed, everything would be fine. 

Hades helped her strip and started with cleaning the wound with alcohol with made her wince and grimace. “How many times has this happened?” He was smart man, trying to distract her from the sizzle and sting. “A few, old corset the seams are worn.” Persephone hissed again, her teeth gritted as pain radiated across her lower abdomen.

Her lover seemed to be thinking as handed her a stack of bandages so she just remained quiet. Maybe she had off put him or something like that by it all, even if it wasn’t a completely abnormal experience. Almost half the girls at the club had worked their corsets to the bone too, and had the had the seamstress fix the channels before their next number and bandage up quick. 

”You got a needle and thread, lover?”

”Uh....yeah, in the bedroom...I’ll get it.” He looked pale as hell, and it was making her nervous. “I’m the one who got stabbed by a corset, why are you so pale?” Persephone inquired, groaning slightly. He seemed extremely nervous which was odd for a man of his stature. “I’m just... you sure you’re gonna be okay, Persephone?” _Oh._ “I will be, I promise. If it makes ya feel better I’ll lie down for a couple’a minutes, okay?” Being completely honest she was exhausted anyways. Her torso gave another sting of pain and a deep growl escaped her throat. 

Immediately after, warm hands caressed her cheek, along with a soft kiss on her temple. “I love you.” Hades rumbled softly in her hair. “I love you too.” She mumbled back, resting her now feeling heavy head on his shoulder. “Let me get you a nightgown alright? I can wash out the bloody garments and hang them to dry.” Very suddenly the tub underneath her was no longer there and instead was replaced by one of her lover’s hands. “The hell are ya doin’?” She mumbled, holding on tightly. “Takin’ you to the bed.” 

”I can walk y’know.”

”Please let me help you. I wanna help, please let me.” There was no argument forming in Persephone’s brain at the moment, rather just a sickening vulnerability. Vulnerability was weakness and weakness was dangerous. Usually at least. _Hades isn’t dangerous._

Well at least not to her. He was kind to her, gentle. He actually cared. Love meant she didn’t have to be scared didn’t it? Otherwise it wouldn’t be love anymore, it’d be torture like her and Ares. Fuck him, she had Hades and he was all she wanted and needed and _loved._

Soon the next thing under her back was Hades’ lovely silk sheets which she took fistfuls of. “Let me get the gown.” Her lover rumbled, kissing her head. The warmth of the kiss traveled down her aching body to settle comfortably in her core. Minutes must’ve passed hadn’t they? It was terribly comfortable in the bed, and she might’ve been guilty of falling slightly asleep, but surely Hades should be back by now, shouldn’t he? 

The feeling of silk brushing her leg made Persephone jump. A hand immediately curled tightly on her own. She pressed her eyes open slightly, confusion meeting her directly after. _She was wearing a silk nightdress and her lover was curled up carefully at her side._

“You fell asleep, lover.” Hades told her softly as if it wasn’t the most obvious answer. “No shit.” She mumbled, burying in his arms. He smelled like cologne and metal, the first making sense and the other not but she wouldn’t question it. “Are you hungry? I can get ya lunch, lover.” Her stomach churned at the suggestion and her head was shaking vigorously.

”Okay, okay. I understand. May I ask ya a question then?” Truthfully she’d rather go back to sleep to dull her aching wound, but hearing his voice was always worth staying awake. “Sure.”

“You don’t...you love me, right?” Did he truly just ask that? “Of course I do, Hades. I love you.” Her heartbeat shot up slightly. Did he not believe her? Did he not trust that everything they did was out of love? Every moment they’ve spent, did he think she fucking faked it?

”Do you not trust me?”

_Of course he doesn’t trust you. No one trusts the whore when she says she loves them._

“No! I mean yes I trust you. I’m sorry I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t of...Seph I’m sorry.” Hades apologized several stuttering times and pulled her tightly in his arms. They didn’t feel so safe at the moment. A slight cry echoed in her ears. Was he crying? “I’m sorry... it’s stupid I just needed to make sure.” He rumbled in her ear. 

It felt like hours passing in minutes, and with each the arms felt safe again. Persephone wanted to be mad but she couldn’t bring herself to it. He had every right to put her on trial even if it hurt like a million honey bee stings. As long as he knew she loved him that’s all that mattered.

”I’m sorry.”

”I know.”

_”I love you.”_

_”I love you too. Always will.”_

Persephone was a one push away from committing a murder. Who she’d be murdering was unclear, but if the wind kept pounding her carriage there would definitely be a victim other than her freezing body.

The carriage sudden halted and a wheezing breath escaped her throat and her would stung like it was still very fresh, not a few hours later. The horses’ muffled whine was her cue to leave the drafty torture chamber she’d been stuck in for the drive. 

Her knuckles chattered as the hit the oak door which was promptly answered. “Hi sweetheart.” The young mute girl beamed and nodded vigorously. She pointed up the stairs and grabbed her hand quickly. The girl seemed healthier and her clothes were less tattered then before, which warmed her heart that her plan worked. 

Persephone’d stolen small trinkets from Ares over her times at his estate and gradually given them to the girl with clear instructions on how to sell them. Now the poor thing had more then her meager wedge and could afford new clothing from the less expensive stores, and food that wasn’t the duke’s leftovers and the food she left for the girl because she couldn’t eat much with the tight lacing. 

”This isn’t the way to Ares’ room.” She mumbled to the girl who dragged her down a separate hallway. “Love, where are we goin’?” She was lead time a guest room that had a gown and accessories laid on the bed.

A note across them and Persephone scoffed at it. It read simple, _You’re new gowns have come. And I have a surprise for you, my dear._ As if they were hers not his sick preferences. The dress laid out was quite beautiful though, in its both satin and velvet layers with a rise on one shoulder. Deeply dark matching gloves and a ruby hair piece alone with satin slippers were placed directly next to it. The only problem was the dress seemed to be two sizes too small which meant her corset was going to be too fucking tight against the wound. She’d be lucky if the fresh seam holding the boning channel actually held. Gods hoped her mama’s lack luster sewing lessons paid off.

She undressed and the girl immediately tightened her corset. Breathing got even harder and a sharp pain struck her lower abdomen. Her heartbeat shot up again. Was she that terrified? The worst he’d do was bruise her more. There was no reason to be afraid of what already pained her body. _Get a grip._

”Ah, darling, you’re beautiful.” Ares announced rather annoyingly in Persephone’s opinion as she ascended down his main staircase, but she still smiled anyways. The fact that he was waiting for her to change to his preferred look was sickening. “Really it’s nothing.” It wasn’t _nothing_. It was probably the most tight laced she’d ever been and the dress was just as pressing but was also heavy velvet. Maybe not the tightest, but the corset pressed dreadfully into her wound, causing just the same amount of pain. 

__

”Nonsense, you’re sparking my flower.” She but her tongue. “Thank you.” He extended his arm to her and she took it immediately with the silk glove that covered hers. “What was the big surprise you had for me?” To be honest she really wished she wouldn’t have to find out. 

__

If only she was lucky, which most evidently she was not. “Now,now dear,” The duke tutted, patting her tightly clasped hand and aggravating bruise from three days ago when she’d last seen him. “Be patient. You’ll get your surprise after dinner.” Persephone squeezed her hand to a fist to keep from slapping him and smiled tight lipped. 

__

”Ares are you sure about whatever you’ve gotten me? You just gave me that bracelet, it must’ve cost a fortune.” If he said it did it might make her feel bad about throwing it in the river, but that was unlikely. “Oh, my dear it was only a small price compared to tonight’s. Now remind me for the cooks it was salmon you’re allergic to yes?” She was surprised he actually remembered due to the last time she’d brought it up was months ago at one of the first few visits to the duke’s estate. “Yes, you’re correct dear duke.”

__

”You’re kind to care.” Ares just shook his head and tightly grasped her chin. “Of course. Wouldn’t wanna spoil our evening. And I was correct.” Her breath quickened. “Of course not.” His grasp seemed to tighten and release at the same time which was bone chillingly terrifying. A shiver struck her spine and aggravated her rib cage. 

__

”Would ya like to see my new greek artifacts while we wait? I just had them shipped from my dig. They say they’re from one of the wars.” The duke took pride in his collection very obviously and it only made her want to smash everything in his stupid holds more.

__

”You like wars, don’t you your grace?” She pressed, earning a laugh. “Well, I suppose I do have an affinity for them.” Maybe that’s why he was so rough. A stupid obsession with fucking war. 

He pointed out several vases and battered bones of weapons, each giving Persephone new ideas of breaking his expensive possessions, different ways of causing him anguish. It was the least that asshole deserved for all he did to her. 

”Shall we go to the dining room now?” 

”Of course.” 

Her corset felt tighter immediately after glancing at the food so she didn’t touch it. “I’m quite excited to see the play, my dear, with my edits the rehearsals I’ve attended have been fabulous.” _What?_

”You make a darling ingenue.” Ares kept talking and it made her queasy. Every word sounded like it was masking a truth, or at very least had an underlying meaning. The peppering of odd talk and odd comments about the club was unsettling as all hell. He had to be planning something, or maybe he was just toying with her head. 

Ares ate and wouldn’t shut the hell up the entire time. All of it was about the club or Orpheus’ show. Then about her. It was a pattern. A vague comment about the show, a light complain about the club, and a complement offhandedly to her. He seemed to reference his travels once or twice but never with the greed he usually did. The greed was in his comments towards her. _The way he referenced her._

”Are you ready for your surprise?” Keep smiling. “Of course.” Before she could stand Ares was practically pulling her up. A tight grip formed on her wrist as he dragged her out of the dining room. Part of her was petrified. Every part of her was petrified. 

”Close your eyes.” 

_This could be dangerous_. Persephone shut them anyways.

Stairs creaked under their feet, and Ares announced every stair so she wouldn’t fall. There was nothing calming about though it only added to the building terror. Gods she couldn’t handle this much longer. Her ribs stung awfully with the consent movement.

A door creaked open and they seemed to lead into the room. Hands were on her shoulder and pushed her down onto something soft. “One more moment, my flower.” Ares’ voice echoed in her ears, along with the rustle of him moving about.

A shiver ran down her entire body as something large and freezing was placed on her chest and neck. What in the hell could be on her? And especially, why was it so freezing?

”Open them.” 

”Oh my gods.....”

A deep gasp escaped her throat both out of disgust and amazement. Looking back at her in the mirror was what looked like a million diamonds scattered on her throat and chest. The piece was horribly heavy but unbelievably breathtaking. Persephone hated the diamonds with a burning passion as the seconds passed but they were also almost gorgeous. Her hands traced over the cold jewels slightly, staring in the mirror.

”Ares.....ares this is too much,” 

”Nonsense.” His hands tightly grasped her shoulders and she shivered with his breath on her neck. Wheezing breathes escaped her and her entire torso not just the wound ached. 

”As I said, Persephone, you are mine, and my possessions need to sparkle.” 


	16. one day I’ll fly away

The dog beside her barked.

”What’s wrong, love?” Persephone asked, lifting her head from its back to then stroke it. Wind batted the shitty windows of her flat, and the dog kept jumping with every rattle and clang. “I’m sorry, baby, I can’t make the wind stop. But I don’t like it either.” 

Being alone never scared her before. That had changed as everything got a thousand times more complicated. The dog helped calm it though. It Especially complicated since the flat was officially cleared of all the liquor she’d stolen from the club, save for the bottle of absinthe currently resting on the table. The green fae on the label smiled in her glory at her which only made her temper tick.

A bottle that would have to last all day, something bottles didn’t seem to like doing. It felt odd and awful being alone. _You aren’t alone._ Wasn’t she though? The dog was company but he wasn’t Hades. No matter what she was still lonely. 

”I should give ya a name darlin’.” She whispered to the dog, who perked up and faced her immediately. Truthfully she wasn’t planning on naming the dog until Hades got back from his work trip. He was _their_ dog after all. They hadn’t came up with one before he left and they probably wouldn’t when he got back. 

Hades kept claiming it was her job to name it and they never agreed on one. He pretended not to like the pup but he was as convincing as her apartment was full of liquor. Gods absinthe was barely liquor but she was desperate. Nagging loneliness wouldn’t leave sober. The need for her lover wouldn’t leave while she was still sober. 

”How ‘bout I think on it. But you’ll get one soon love, I promise.” The dog licked her face with his cold tongue and a shiver traveled down her spine. “You’re just as cold as the wind.” She whispered, kissing his wet nose. The window panes shook, and the dog let out a loud yelp. 

”Shh, it’s just a mornin’ storm.”

Or that’s what she hoped. Hoped it would be gone before work for both the dog’s sake and hers. This big street mut was so much like her it was almost odd that she specifically chose him while drunk, but to be fair most of her decisions since all this bullshit started had been made while drunk. Even some of the ones with Hades. Granite, not many of them, but some most definitely. 

”You stay. Mama’s gonna go get a glass.” Every muscle on her body ached from show, rehearsal, show, ares, show routine. Although there was something strange. Ever since that night with the necklace worth more then her life, she left from him with only a bruise if he grabbed her wrist or arms too tight. She was forced to listen to him talk shit about her makeshift family for hours. Honestly the bruises would’ve been favorable to _that._

The dog jumped again as the cabinet doors shut as Persephone slammed then, feverishly searching for a box of sugar cubes. They had to be somewhere it wasn’t like she used them often. _There we are._

She plopped down, uncorking the absinthe. The sugar cube broke as it collided with the cup, with all fairness considering she wasn’t being exactly careful. A disgusting sweet odor exhumed from the bottle so bad her nose scrunched. The pup whined and buried in the sofa’s blankets. “Me too.” Her laughter at her dog wasn’t exactly genuine but there wasn’t really anything she could do about it. 

There was no reason to be happy. It was fucking freezing, she was alone, and on her last bottle of alcohol. Today was awful at very least. Absinthe was gorgeous, she could be happy about that. The green fae glittered in the crystal glass the sugar dissolved into nothing.

Once the sugar was gone she got the drink over as fast as possible in one hit. _Holy shit._ Her throat stung and her core grew warmer. Little thoughts were disappearing, all the thoughts were disappearing. Her eyes were wide with strength of the alcohol being so surprise. 

Persephone’d never once seen anything while on absinthe, no green fairies or whatever the hell else people said she would. She didn’t see, but she felt. Something pressed her leg and put pressure on her lap. It seemed to tiring to lower her head to look though so as long as whatever it was didn’t bite it was fine. 

Laughter bubbled deep in her chest and out. It was the dog, obviously. “Hi honey.” It’s head cocked at her only making her laugh more. “I gonna name you.” She announced, unceremoniously patting the dog. He was soft. And very cuddly. Maybe if she just rested on him for a few minutes. 

Maybe another drink first. 

Maybe another _two_

Everything was warm and sparkling, and the windows weren’t scary anymore. They sounded like music, the rain was strings and the thunder was drums like at the club, beating in place of her heartbeat. It was so pretty and dark.

”Darlin’...” Persephone paused and stared at the velvet furred dog, breaking out into laughter. Staring back in a blurred lense was three heads all cocked with the ears up. “You got three heads.” She chucked, burying in and kissing the dogs fur. 

”And you got spots.” She noticed pokadotted spots clouding her vision , laughing louder. “Oh honey, I got a name for you.” The dog barked as she giggled into his fur and she jumped. “You’re gonna be Cerberus. I’ma’ name ya Cerberus.” It was a perfect name for her comfortable warm beast. 

The deep sent of cologne emanated the further she buried in the thick fur. _Hades._ Gods did she miss him. A week was too long. She needed him, why wasn’t he back yet? His house was scary and lonely so she had to be in her stupid flat. A shiver ran down her spine and she whined. Why did he have to be gone? It wasn’t fucking fair. 

Didn’t he know she wanted him? Why couldn’t he cancel his work trip? “Cerberus.” She moaned in the dogs fur, breathing in the lingering sent of her lover. A blanket was being pulled over her and she snapped up in confusion. The black blur of the dog was tugging the cream blanket up onto her. “Aww honey, you’re too good.” She slurred almost blindly patting him as her energy gave out a she laid in his fur. 

A knock pounded the door. 

”Go away.” She groaned, slurring bad to her surprise. The knocking ceased and she huffed as the door nob started shaking and jiggling. What in the hell was so important? More importantly why didn’t her limbs want to work to stand her up. Eh, either she was being robbed or- well there probably wasn’t an or. She’d point whatever kid was robbing her to the bit of food in the cabinets. It’s not like there was anything valuable in this gods damned apartment. Or maybe she had some of Ares’ trinkets here. But he didn’t let her take them home did he? She couldn’t remember. 

The door flung open and then shut and Persephone clung to her dog, who had fallen asleep. “I got some ‘a the food in the cabinets, be quiet.” She hissed, slurring to the blurry raven haired figure standing by the door. “Check the bedroom for somethin’ expensive. I prob’ly don’t have anythin’.” Not even a small part of her was afraid and she could guarantee it wasn’t all because of the absinthe. These kids that robbed her building weren’t dangerous they were just scared. They needed food and maybe shelter. It’d be cruel to be afraid of them. 

”What are you talking about? I-I’m not..”

Wait a minute. She blinked at the figure, the shape becoming clearer with each. _Eurydice?_ It couldn’t be. Why the fuck was she here?

”How did you get in?” She slurred, facing the younger girl, dripping bitterly. She had no right to be here. “A key-“ The girl broke into a coughing fit. Something softened deep in her absinthe fueled core, and the happy warmth was getting cold. 

”Are you drunk?” 

“Did you steal my keys little bird? Why are you here?” She hissed at her guest, watching her stutter on it. “Seph-“ “No! You don’t get that anymore. Ya don’t get to show up here and call me Seph and act like you didn’t tear me into pieces. Ya don’t even get to be here.” Eurydice broke into a coughing fit and Persephone jumped to her feet, immediately swaying as the world blurred more. Was she moving? Eurydice seemed to be closer but was that her or something else. Maybe she wasn’t real. 

That’s it. It was just the absinthe playing tricks on her brain, well screw that cause she figured it out. “You ain’t real.” She slurred. The songbird stared at her and cocked her head like the birds did on her windowsill in summer. Birds were gorgeous with their bright feathers and songs. They were like birds weren’t they? What is it like to be able to fly away though? She couldn’t fly like a bird. Maybe she was a caged canary instead. A songbird with no choice but to sing. 

”I’m sorry. I-I know I can’t take back what I- I’m so sorry.” Her hands collided and rubbed painfully against cheap carpet wool as the songbird shook with her force. A deep sob echoed but it wasn’t from her. Tears stung her own eyes as she clung to the young girl like her mama clung to her when she was a young girl. Eurydice was warm and felt soft, but was itchy to the full touch. It didn’t matter . 

The older woman sobbed with the younger one. Was this even real? Gods she hoped this was real. “I’m so sorry.” Eurydice cried just as the world spun and Persephone found herself flat on her ass. Her brows furrowed. Everything didn’t feel heavy and she wasn’t tired yet, how’d she fall. The girl slammed into her this time, shaking like a leaf. A leaf.....the wind....why was Eurydice out in the storm? She could’ve apologized at work in a few hours(or less her concept of time at the moment was kind of shitty). It didn’t make sense in her hazy brain. 

”Why you here? Ain’t it stormin’?” She slurred, holding the songbird closer. “I.....I went to the doctors when they opened. I-I know what ya did to get me that appointment, I’m sorry.” That’s why she didn’t wait. Please let her be wrong. _Please, please, please_. 

”I don’t got much time.” 

No. 

No, no, no, _why did she have to be right?_. Eurydice didn’t fucking deserve this. She sobbed onto the girl whose body was shaking hers. “Darlin’ I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Her words weren’t as clear as she specifically wanted, and her head felt as heavy as those diamonds from Ares. _Diamonds_. “How much money you gonna need? They gotta have treatments or somethin’.....Hades can help pay, I can help pay... I-I can sell the shit Ares gives me and....” Eurydice was shaking her head. 

Her heart broke.

Eurydice’d waited too long. She didn’t need her mind clear for knowing that. If only she’d listened. At least the doctor hadn’t touched her for nothing. He let Eurydice get her appointment after all and that’s all that mattered. _Oh gods, Orpheus_

”He know?”

”I can’t- I can’t tell him. The play...I can’t..” Eurydice broke into coughs and while she did everything got to heavy to hold up on its own so Persephone pushed herself against the wall. Crimson blurs spread on the girl’s handkerchief, so she took hers out and offered it to her. 

Orpheus would be heart broken. Such a sweet kid, he couldn’t handle losing his girl. Her head lulled back against the wall. It was too heavy to keep up. The little bird finished and began sobbing again while the others tears never stopped. Her tears had never stoped. Crying was exhausting, but crying drunk was so much worse. Everything was incapable of moving and all her eyes wanted was to shut. 

She wouldn’t. She’d stay awake for Eurydice. “It’s gonna be okay.” She slurred, holding the girl close to her chest. It wasn’t going to be okay. Eurydice was dying. Dying fast. Too fast. There was no time limit, it was days or months. Dying for months or dead by tomorrow. Persephone sobbed for the songbird. She was her friend. _Her family._ Gods why’d that girl have to be so stubborn. 

She couldn’t be mad anymore. Maybe that was the absinthe, but it felt so wrong to be mad. She cared for that girl, she couldn’t be mad knowing she wouldn’t be there forever. Eurydice was barely twenty one for fucks sake. She shoulda had a life ahead of her. If anyone deserved to die it was Persephone. She’d give her life to the little bird if she could. 

_Fuck was she exhausted_

Persephone tiptoed into her dressing room, the elaborate crimson train of feathers attached to her her diamond laced costume corset dragged on the floor, diamond scraping noisily. Eurydice stirred in her sleep on the small sofa and she froze until the songbird settled. Poor girl. 

The absinthe wore off hours ago and the before show whiskey was running dry. There was a bottle of wine somewhere in here- aha. The bottle reflected the gas light sticking out from under her bouquet of carnations. A gift from Hades. The flowers, not the wine. The wine was cheap shit stolen from the bar upstairs. 

Was it really stolen though? I mean technically it was left behind so it was anyone’s property, she just happened to grab it after Timothy did for the bar. No guilt then. Not that there was any guilt anyways, she deserved that bottle more then the pricks it’d be served to.

Dress first, drink later. 

Her underarms were torn up from the diamonds and her lipstick was smudged. She looked as bad as she felt wasn’t that fitting. The crimson stained on her cheek only worse with the dry cloth so she threw it at the mirror. It didn’t crack. Part of her was hoping it would. The longer she stared it still didn’t so she gave up. 

Piece by piece the costume peeled off, pooling annoyingly at her feet. All this was ridiculous. It happened anyways and she didn’t do anything to stop it. Did it matter if she would try? Nothing would change. 

Parchment crinkled from the flowers, snapping her attention. _Oh Hades._ Why’d he have to be gone so long? Flowers and mailed notes weren’t enough, they only made her long for him more. Hopefully he’d be home soon. Or at least before Friday when Ares was due back from his trip. Gods only know where the hell he’d gone. He’d told her over dinner one night but a bottle of whiskey that night had knocked that memory far out of her brain. 

Persephone dressed quick and quiet into the dark black dress, reaching carefully over the sleeping Eurydice for the heavy wool coat Hades had left in the dressing room weeks ago. It was a hundred times warmer then hers, and he knew it. She pressed a light kiss to the little bird’s temple, and she barely stirred. She’d better stop and tell her nephew where she was before the boy started to worry. 

Or maybe she didn’t have too. He’d be with the band for another hour at least and by then Eurydice would probably be awake. A crimson carnation slid with ease behind her ear from the bouquet, and hands curled around the neck of the wine bottle before quietly left, making sure the door shut tight. She took a swig of the bottle. 

_Where too?_ The storm had stopped but it was too late for the park or to linger outside. Going home would mean being lonely and missing Hades. Cerberus was probably already asleep again so it would be even more lonely. She could go somewhere dangerous. Do something thrilling. Somewhere fun to get drunk. Somewhere alone. Where was- the roof. 

This was gonna bite her in the ass when she was actually drunk again but honestly what did it matter. That was a problem for later, getting her adrenaline up was a problem for now. Adrenaline and alcohol made it so easy to not feel. So easy to not ache. Easy to not think about the fact Eurydice was dying any day. 

She shoved through the other performers and could feel them staring. Their gazes burned into her back. The only way to the roof was through the hatch backstage, tucked in a dark corner near the costume room for quick mends. 

Persephone walked fast and put the bottle between her arm to climb the ladder and the cold air stung as a million honey bees. She shivered and her breath showed in the freezing air. “This was a bad idea.” She whispered then laughed. She was alone, no one else was there to listen. 

The wine warmed her core as she started draining the bottle. Was it snowing? It wasn’t that cold was it? It was gorgeous. She stepped closer to the ledge of the roof where ravens were perched. They were beautiful birds. Absolutely gorgeous. Her foot crunched the snow and the birds squawked before flying away. Damn it. 

It would be wonderful to be like them. To fly away. From her loneliness from her soon to be grief. That wasn’t possible. It never would be. She stepped up closer to the ledge to watch the people leave the club and the carriages travel down the street. 

It was beautiful up here. Absolutely gorgeous. This was ridiculous. She needed to go home. She needed to check on Eurydice first. Make sure she and Orpheus were gonna get home.

The wind was stinging her skin, but she barely felt it. Everything else ached so what was a little cold on top of that. The flower fell from her ear and practically glowed against the snow and she sat next to it. What was she doing? This was ridiculous in every sense of the words. What if she slipped and fell? 

What the hell was wrong with her?

She needed to pull herself together. Persephone took another drink and breathed in the deep sent of Hades’ cologne, emanating from his coat. Eurydice was still alive for now and Hades would back soon. Everything would be normal again even if part of her normal was that asshole Ares. Everything would be fine until it wasn’t anymore. 

She took another drink and shut her eyes to the snow.

_You’re the fucking sparkling diamond, you can’t dull now._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading! I had uh shall we say anxiety about this chapter so I hope you enjoyed it!


	17. children of the revolution

Hades hated lying to Persephone.

It wasn’t a lie that would hurt, but still it nagged on him. The carriage lurched on the icy road, getting caught on snow destroyed cobblestone. It wasn’t all a lie, really. He had gone to another part of the city for business, that much was true. If his brothers were anywhere it immediately became business. Even if that somewhere was a funeral for a wicked man. 

Hades hoped his father’s death had hurt. The corner said it didn’t though and the man simply died in his sleep like a coward. They buried him on _his_ plot next to a woman who never deserved to die and most certainly never deserved to rest eternally with prick that was formally her abusive husband. 

But he couldn’t change where they buried their father because of the fucking will he’d left behind. Kronos had been a cruel man, a horrid father, and now pulled one last stop to spite them all.

_I, Kronos, in sound state of mind hereby distribute my assets as so, among my three sons. I leave my youngest, Zeus, my estate with furnishings auctioned. I leave, The Titan, my leisure boat to my middle son Poseidon. Lastly I leave my remaining assets to my eldest, Hades._

Him.

Hades rubbed his jaw, which was black with the bruise from Zeus’ fist. Kronos left the fortune to him to give his brothers one more reason to hate him. He knew it. There was no other reason why that asshole wouldn’t just have his money buried with him like he had every trace of their mother shoved underground with her as they watched the grave diggers pile dirt until there was nothing left of her. 

He was lucky he’d found Styx. That barely able to work old woman was the last thing he had of his mother and he’d keep her around as long as he could. The carriage lurched again and a heel landed square on his toe. 

”Sorry-“

”Don’t apologize to him Hera.” 

Why in fuck did he agree to share a carriage with Zeus? 

”I’ll apologize to whoever I please, be it your brother or not Zeus! You don’t control my words-“ He hissed as his brother and sister in law started having it out at each other, the carriage skidding on the ice as Hera almost decked her husband and the other smirked at it. 

Maybe it had been the glass of wine at the will reading, but absolutely no part of him wanted to be stuck in a carriage with the brother who’d barely minutes ago attempted beating the shit out of him at the reading. Didn’t get further then a punch though. 

_Think about Persephone_

Another hour and he’d be home, hopefully in time to catch Persephone before rehearsal. If not he’d just have the carriage take him to the club. It was Sunday, Ares came back Friday. He needed to see her. Make sure that bastard didn’t hurt her more, and make she wasn’t drinking herself to sleep because of it. 

Gods he missed her. One day in and he wanted the train home immediately. Part of him was scared she’d be hurt with out anyone to help and the other part was scared she wouldn’t be there at all anymore. Doubt crept in every thought that had entered his head the entire trip. 

What if he was gone too long? What if she’d just moved on without him? Plenty of men wanted her. Or worse, plenty of men had hurt her. What if another had come back? There was no one there to protect her. _He_ wasn’t there to protect her. 

”Hades! Are you blushing?” 

Oh gods please no.

”Oh my gods, he is isn’t he?” 

Hades wanted to smack the smirk from his brothers face as Hera tapped his leg with her extravagant fan that matched her flashy teal gown and the sapphires lining her updo. “Hades, what in the realms could you be blushing for? I didn’t even know you had color in those cheeks of yours.”

How come just thinking about Persephone made him turn scarlet? It was ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. Maybe he was just flush still from being punched in the jaw. It couldn’t just be from her could it? 

”Don’t tease him, Hera, he’s probably found a woman. Haven’t you brother?” Zeus nudged his leg roughly, seemingly beaming at his bruise. He growled, ready to smack the stupid smile off his face if Hera hadn’t been there. He wouldn’t hit his brother in front of his wife, even if the way they seemed she’d probably enjoy the sight of it it was still wrong to do. 

”He’s blushing more! Hades, you coy bastard. Tell us who is she?” Gods why couldn’t he be anywhere else? Anywhere but stuck here. Hopefully the carriage ride’ll finish and he could question his ability to make decisions after a glass of wine while holding Persephone in his arms. 

This was ridiculous. _They_ are ridiculous.

”Is it that Minthe girl? She was such a snake I loved her, but she broke your heart.” Hera tutted, tapping Zeus with her fan with another idea or what he assumed passed as one in her over perfumed head. “It could be that heiress Nyx, she’s quite good in bed.” 

”You slept with her?!” 

”You did it first! She said so to her maid and she told mine so mine told me at tea you prick.” 

For the love of the gods Hades didn’t care if they had to crash the damn carriage he just needed to be out. He would’ve rather had walked then endure his sister in law’s bullshit. 

He groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose as the other two began screaming with each other over shared affairs or whatever they found to nag on. They were pure insanity together and it was annoying. Why they ever married was a mystery. Hera could've done better then his whoring brother and it wasn’t like his brother’d been desperate for a dowry.

The carriage lurched forward, pressing him roughly back against the wall and the unhappily married couple trust head first into him. A large groan accompanied with the loud skidding of the carriage against the ice. 

Fuck.

A sharp pain ran through the entire left side of his body as Zeus was now directly dead weight on top of him and his body was jammed against the wall of the (now leaning on it’s side) carriage. They must’ve spun out on the ice near the crossover bridge connecting the two parts of the city. His drivers knew better then to take this way in winter. _These aren’t your drivers_

The was no way in hell he was making it back in time.

_______________

“Gimme that.”

Persephone snatched the cigar from Eurydice’s hands to the youngers protest and took a hit. “Thought you stopped smoking.” The songbird nagged and she laughed slightly. “I lied. Just don’t tell no one.” 

“How am I the one dyin’ with all the shit you do to yourself?”

”Only the gods know that one darlin’.” 

If even the gods knew. It wasn’t fair and the girl had a point. Why wasn’t it her? Of all the people she probably deserved death more then any of them. _C’mon diamond, take a drink and shut your head up._

”Where’d the bottle go?” She asked the younger girl, puffing the cigar and inhaling the smoke deeply. “Afra took it and gave it to Timothy.” The sharp pain and snap of her ribs and corset groaning was practically standard now as she rose to her unsteady feet. The bar wasn’t crowded but Timothy wasn’t tending he was chatting with Kimberly in the corner. 

She walked slowly to the bar, draping halfway across it to a laugh from the man a little more then her age behind it. “Mr Reid?” Her lips tugged up coyly, and the man shook his head amused. “Miss ‘sephone.” With a deep moan against the floor and barstool pulled out and she promptly sat. “Ain’t seen you mixin’ drinks in years, may I have one?” 

The answer was yes, and a bottle of absinthe was slid into her waiting hand along with a tray of sugar cubes. She popped a cube in her mouth and quickly drank from the bottle before it could dissolve on her tongue. “Never cease to amaze me.” He mumbled and she waved with the bottle before departing back to Eurydice. 

”What the hell?” The girl groaned lifting her brows to the older woman. “Seriously how are you not dead?” The songbird snatched the bottle from her grip, along with the cigar. “Eh! No fair, girl.” She tilted her head back and sighed deeply. The stitches on her corset had popped, she could feel the bone starting to wiggle out. Eh, she’d fix it when she got back to the flat with Cerberus. 

Cerberus. 

Gods she couldn’t believe she named their dog Cerberus. 

She did stupid shit drunk. Like last night she accidentally cut herself on one of Ares’ sculptures after he shoved a few too many glasses of wine in her hands. She remembered the wine clearly. It was dark, practically black and sour. She didn’t want more then a glass at very most. It was dreadful but her glass was always full and his hand was always on hers, pushing the glass closer and closer.

_”Just one more drink, flower, wouldn’t want to waste the wine.”_

She couldn’t move. He kept touching and kissing and pressing glasses in her hands...

”Seph! Are you okay? You look like you’re gonna be sick.” 

”Fine.” She answered quietly, feeling the girls eyes on her burring her gaze into her back. A loud round of clapping broke the chatter as the dance instructor impatiently tapped her heels on the stage. 

Her corset groaned again as Persephone stood, and went back to her position for the dance. Dionysus stood as well, taking her hands immediately. “Hello.” He whispered in her ear, breath ticking. “Hello yourself.” She hissed back, nails pressing into his hand. “What’s wrong?” He sounded genuinely concerned and she hated it.

”Ready, no talking!” The dancer instructor trilled, the band immediately following by beginning a tango. His hand seized her waist, tugging her closer. They trailed down her corset, landing on her thigh and pulling it up. Her left leg curled on his waist, letting the other drag by the toe of her shoe as he moved backward. 

”More passion! You are in _love,_ you are forbidden. You are pull and you are passion!” 

Love. 

Why wasn’t Hades home yet?

They dragged in time with the violins until a cord broke and he roughly pulled her up, forcing her tightly against him. His fingers dug into her arm, as hers pressed firmly into his palm as a warning. 

”Careful now, Dio.” She hissed, spinning out of his reach and immediately back in. “What’s wrong? You’re usually more, _playful_ ,” her head almost touched the ground bending backward as every bone in her back cracked. “I could get you somethin’ that’ll get rid of whatever’s wrong if ya want.” He whispered, close enough to hear his heart beating and see his eyes wonder. 

”We are lust! You are slow by first and taken by last! You dance for your love.” 

The violin played its last beat. “You ready Seph?” Dionysus whispered, spinning her to arms length. “‘Course.” She whispered back. The easy bit was over. Her body’s gonna hate her for this. Corset steel poked painfully into her ribs, but there was no stopping now. 

The full tango began again, loud a providing as her beating heart. She spun between his arms fast, tapping her heels on the stage. She traced to him back, his touch lessening as the quicker they moved to the rhythm of the tango, sliding on each other and clicking with the floor in balance. The tango dance melted with itself, locking her in another world until it finished, Dionysus grabbing holding her leg past his head with her hand caressing his cheek. 

”Five minutes!” The instructor announced, both her and him dissolving into overtired sweaty laughter. “Take her to your office, make the break twenty.” Persephone teased, patting her old friends chest as he lowered her leg and looked insulted. “Twenty? Diamond, I ain’t that old.” He teased and she could feel his sweaty lips press in her hair. 

Eurydice was gone from their previous spot but a distant coughing told that she hadn’t gone that far. Eh, let her be for a few minutes. An ache started nagging at her mind, a simple question with a apparently no good answer to find. _Where was Hades?_

He wasn’t snuck in the back of the club like usual when he came late to rehearsal and last night her letter had said he’d be here, so where the fuck was he? First the letter on her carnations the first night had said Friday. Friday’s had said Sunday. Today was Sunday and the only thing she’d had was snow, a craving to smoke, and a massive hangover. There was no handsome man waiting for her. No lover to wake up in the arms of this morning like she’d been promised there would be by the very man who’d broke it. 

_He’s not coming back._

Rage started bubbling in her veins as she stared at the empty seats off the stage. How could she have been so stupid? Of course he wasn’t coming back. This was some sick cruel joke, and she was done playing. No one could actually love her. Not even Hades. 

She loved him. 

She loved him so much, why did he have to leave her? Why did he have to lie. If he wanted a fling he could’ve said so for fucks sake then she would’ve never fallen in love and never would’ve felt this...this longing. 

Tears pricked her eyes the longer she stared at the door and it remained shut. He wasn’t coming. Gods she’d been so foolish, clinging to his letters like people where honest and they didn’t just want to hurt you. He was no different apparently. Maybe it was the earlier absinthe making this dread and sadness so horrid. Maybe it was just the truth. It just took her too long to realize it. 

Persephone sat on the edge of the stage, a blur of chatter behind her and starred at the door. She didn’t want to be right. She begged she wasn’t right. She wanted his letters to be proof of his love, his honest love but what were the chances of that? This wasn’t a child’s novel or a ballet, nothing in her life ended well. look at where she ended up from being a stupid kid who signed her life away on a whim. On a ‘fuck you’ to her mother who wanted her to come home and leave behind the stupid city, why hadn’t she just listened? 

Time had to have passed since she first sat down, hadn’t it? Hours at most, minutes at very minimum. Time didn’t stay still for her. 

A cold hand tapped her shoulder and her entire body shook out of surprise. “Seph, she called rehearsal again.” The voice was Dio’s a loud bell clear as a glass. “I’ll be there.” She mumbled taking a last glance at the door. It was still shut. 

Persephone’s neck hurt horribly from the strain of the dozens of diamond and other jeweled necklaces and bands draped on top of her during her big finale number. Her chest ached with the sharp boning steel piercing her ribs. She’d stared at the audience and door every time she went onto the stage. He wasn’t there. Every time she looked since rehearsal , he still wasn’t there. 

A deep groan left her throat as Afra poured liquor on her wound. She hissed, squeezing Eurydice’s hand. “I hate you for this.” She moaned and Afra had the guts to laugh, and how dare she. “Hey your lucky I know what I’m doing.” The songbird laughed a little too and she kicked her. “I hate both of you.” 

”You need a new corset how old is this thing?”

”Ten years ‘bout.” She hissed as Afra started unrolling bandages. “You want a hit?” The bird offered out her cigar and she took it immediately. It was easier to relax, so much easier not to feel pain, wait a minute- “Give it back!” 

”Said you could have a hit not that ya could have it.” 

”A’ight! You’re done.” Afra stood and Persephone grabbed her hand to lift her up. She re-fastened her newly mended corset on and adjusted her costume. “C’mon lets go get a drink.” The girls took her arms and lead her out of the dressing room and backstage to the bar where she’d previously been seated before the fix-it band had claimed her corset injury as ‘dangerous’. 

”Timothy whiskey please.” She grinned at the boy who shook his head at her. “Here ya go.” He slid it to her, and the glass connected immediately with her hand. The liquor burned, going smooth down her throat. She needed more. 

Her fingers tapped against the glass and the amber refill was poured, drained and poured again. This time she paused as something caught the corner of her eye. 

It was just her head playing tricks, he wasn’t there...he couldn’t be there. The glass shattered from her hands staring at the searching figure. Tears pricked again, flowing easier with the whiskey in her veins. 

She looked down at the glass shards littering the bar top. Damn it. Music swelled the backstage with the intoxicating sent of the liquor mixing deeply with the cigar smoke. Her head was just fucked up. He wasn’t really there. 

”May I have this dance?” 

She jumped the voice rumbling in her core prepared to scream at her botherer, spinning around to a face full of carnations and a grinning man. _Oh, Hades_ “You came back?” Persephone cried, lips curling into a smile and tears falling fast. “Of course I came back. I’m so sorry I’m late. I missed ya.” His lips brushed her knuckles and shoved the flowers aside, his arms wrapping around her. 

He came back. _He came back_

”You were late.” She spoke eventually, pulled against his chest and swaying to the music following the rhythm that swelled into her hazy head. “You waited.” He rumbled, his voice breaking. 

”I missed ya.”


	18. because we can (can-can-can)

Hades had never seen anything more beautiful.

Not the first night he saw her, glittering immaculately in a million diamonds, not the dozens of costumes or corsets fantastically bedazzled. There was nothing more beautiful then the how she was now, curls wild nightgown clad with sunlight streaming through the window onto her honey skin which struck out especially over the faded white of the gown.

The way her lips parted slightly as she hummed while reading a book in his lap. There was nothing more peaceful, more _beautiful,_ then his love in this exact moment. Gods he never knew just how bad he’d missed her until the moment he got to hold her again. 

Something was off though, even in her peace. He could feel it, and the feeling was killing him. Since his return she wouldn’t go long without a drink in her hand and was quieter. In her defense it had only been four days, but still. It was still troubling. 

”How’s the book?” He rumbled, kissing the tilted mass of curls whose’s humming abruptly stopped and was replaced with the most beautiful smile in the universe. “Interesting. Thank you.” Sweet lips pecked his quick before returning to face the pages. “Thank me for what?” All he’d done was ask how the book she’d been reading (for almost an eternity to him) was. 

”Buyin’ it for me.” 

”Anything to make you happy, Seph.” It felt like a million needles stung as he kissed her cheek, his lie hot on his tongue. True, he’d bought it for her. True, he’d taken them out shopping in the most expensive shops in the city and the oldest ones. False, that he’d bought it purely in the intention to make her happy. 

In all truth that hadn’t even been in the forefront of his mind. What _was_ on his mind was burning money. Dirty money he got from a dirty man and so much of it that all the shopping and investing in the realms wasn’t enough to even hide it. And what was a better excuse to burn money then to give his lover a day shopping in the finest stores in town. 

There’d be a new corset arriving tomorrow with his suits and her dresses, and then she wouldn’t get hurt from her old one again. He’d keep her safe, even from the tortures of an undergarment.

The sun dulled from the window, casting faintly now, but still radiating on the beautiful woman in his arms, who’s curls tumbled over her shoulder as she read her curious sounding book. Of all the stores he’d taken her too, all the jewelry and dresses of the shopping avenue, she’d chose their first stop to be a book store. Now the dirty money had payed for books on plants of all things and specifically poisonous ones. _Whatever makes her happy_

The words on her pages meant nothing to him other then to reminded of his mother’s books in Latin. At six years old trying to decipher the words while leaning over her shoulder only to be scolded by the always looming presence of a now rightfully dead and dirty man. 

”Are you hungry?” Hades rumbled, feeling Persephone shudder under his breath on her neck. “That would mean leaving the bed though.” She protested, yawning and throwing the book down. Instead of placing her weight on him as he’d expected, the blanket was kicked out and immediately dragged back on. 

”True.” He didn’t need to know her actual reason for not wanting to leave the bed to abide to his lover’s wishes. She deserved a morning in bed at very least, and whatever she wanted he’d give her happily. She mattered more then anything else in the world after all. “Are you comin’ tonight?” Her voice purred as he laid beside her. It was a beautiful sound. The greatest sound in all the realms. Gods he loved her. 

”If you’d like me too.” Hades brushed a stray curl falling as his lover turned on her side to see him. Her smile was tired. It looked so much more exhausted then before he left. Something had clearly happened, that much was obvious, but she wasn’t telling him. Supposed they both had a secret. Or maybe his guilty soul just hoped because then she couldn’t be mad for his. “Of course I’d like ya too.” Persephone whispered in her soaring alto that constantly brought him too his knees. She was so beautiful like this. 

”Can I take you out today, lover?” 

It was a simple question with a complicated meaning. He couldn’t tell if it was his guilt or it was sincere, but please let it be sincere. 

”You just took me out. I don’t need anythin’, save that money of yours.” _If only she knew._ “Doesn’t have to be shoppin’, there’s a million and a half things to do in this damn city, lover. A million things we can do.” Lips connected with his, but only long enough to make him crave them more.

”Like what?” The most beautiful laugh left her parted lips with the perhaps cutest expression to follow. “Why you starin’ at me? My hair that bad?” He laughed, pressing a kiss to her head. “You’re gorgeous, lover.” He took her smaller hands tightly in his and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. It looked like her smile dimmed though. 

What had he said? All he’d done was complement her, surely that couldn’t be why she’s upset. That’d be ridiculous. 

A sigh left his lovers lips and she gently pulled her hands out of his, rolling out of the bed. The sheets where she’d been grew cold fast but it felt like the hands that had been holding hers suddenly because ice without hers in it. He could say something. _Ask what’s wrong, be sensible_. 

Hades remained silent.

”Hey, Hades?” 

”Yes?”

”We could go skating.” 

_Skating?_ He watched her stare at him while reaching for her corset. Hades hadn’t been skating in at least two decades. It’d never even crossed his mind. Not the mention the ideal of it was stupid. What was the point of strapping on leather boots with a thin piece of steel just to hope you don’t take your death on thin ice. It was ridiculous. 

”Skating? _Really?_?” He laughed slightly. She was joking wasn’t she? Her smile immediately dropped as she began tightening the aging garment, but it was obvious it wasn’t the corset that made it fall. “Why? Too low class for you?” 

”The hell is that supposed to mean?” His voice rose slightly. “You tell me, _lover_. I rather like skating.” Persephone’s words dropped like poison in a tone that sent a shiver down his spine. What the hell was this about? It sure as shit wasn’t skating. “You seem to start likin’ pushing that money of yours buying’ everything you see. Makin’ yourself all fancy. My likes too low class for you now?” 

”Calm down you’re overreactin’. What’s actually wrong?” He stood from the bed, not that there was anywhere to go. “What’s wrong with me what’s wrong with you?! Since that stupid business trip you feel different, you look at me different. Why’d we have to go shoppin’, Eh? I never asked and you kept buyin’ me shit. I don’t want you to spend your money on me and you know why. I don’t want fancy dresses, I don’t want a new fancy corset. What happened to you, you... you were different. Am I not good enough now? Why are you changin’ now?” 

He should’ve seen it. Damn it he should’ve known better. 

”You are good enough, you’re better, Seph, I swear.” He rumbled stepping closer hesitantly. Of course she didn’t want him shoving that money at her. Ares did that to her, and he knew that, why didn’t he fucking think that through. Stupid secret and fuck Kronos from giving him that stupid burden. 

”I’m sorry, I am. I just uh...business has been good lately and we’ve been bringing in a lot more money. I wanted you to feel special after bein’ gone and worrin’ you for so long, I should’ve known better. Please forgive me, my love.” The lie burned hot on his tongue and only grew worse as he stepped closer to his lover and pressed a kiss to her knuckles like a man begging for forgiveness, which he was, only it was for so much more then treating her like that. 

Next thing, curls were pressed into his face as Persephone slammed into him, half dressed and apologetic. Even though he was the one who should be sorry. He was sorry, she only thought she had to be because of him. That was it wasn’t it? It was all his stupid lie. And he just kept digging his grave deeper. 

”We can go skating.” Hades rumbled, hoping to get her smiling again. “Im so sorry.” A light laugh escaped her her, but he could only feel it on his chest rather then hearing it, telling him it’d been small. “I know and I’d like that.” Her lowering alto echoed against him in the prettiest way, making it easy to almost completely forget he was actively hanging himself a noose. 

_Almost._

She broke off quickly and flurried around the bedroom, gathering her layers of clothing. He watched in amazement. How come women’s clothing was so intricate? it wasn’t practical in the slightest. Corsets and all those under layers were dumb, and it didn’t seem fair to those who had to wear them. He told his lover she didn’t have to where a corset with him but she’d said it was bad enough being who she was, and being judged on the streets as a loose woman was worse. Whatever she was comfortable in was all that mattered to him, whether it be in a steel bone piercing corset or in no restrictive garments at all. It’s not like it mattered, he loved her all the same. 

”Do you see my red tie?” Hades wondered to his dresser, opening to a red tie-less display drawer. It had been some birthday gift or another thing like that, but it was probably the handsomest tie gracing his collection. Not to mention he’d worn it the night he met persephone. Looking down at it nervously was what gave him the idea for her red carnations after all so he supposed be owed a lot to it for helping make a relationship with the woman he loved. 

_It’s just a tie_

”You wore it yesterday.” His lover said, fastening a skirt over whatever garment women wore over their corset. It was a handsome item in a lavish black fabric that seemed to mock wool. He shook his head, laughing. “What’s so funny?” Their hands connected, following to their lips, and to her hands in his hair, yanking slightly hard. 

”Whys women’s dress so complex?” 

”Who the fuck knows, lover.” 

__________________

Persephone shivered.

Whether it was with excitement or just the freezing cold was unclear, but whichever it was, it was fucking cold. And it wasn’t just the weather that was cold. 

He was. _Hades_ was. 

She’d pretend like his sorry had been enough but it wasn’t. That didn’t change the fact that he was different and it still nagged on her bad. Maybe she was just overreacting but.... _no. Stop ruining everything. He’s back, just stop being panicked._

Gods she needed a drink. A big tall drink. And a fucking strong one. 

The wind battered against her coat but that didn’t stop her walking or Hades’ tight grip on her arm and her head on his shoulder. “We should’ve got a carriage.” She snapped, teeth chattering to the cold. “Too late now.” He rumbled in her ear, a shiver traveling down her spine. 

It was the damn city buildings, making the wind unbearable. Once they got clear the wind wouldn’t be as bad and it’d be perfect for skating. Even if their outing was now bittersweet. He still loved her right? Maybe he was just off, and it had absolutely nothing to do with her. Not everything had to be about her. 

”You’re scarlet.” 

”So are you.”

Laughter left her lips and a deep chuckle left his even in the batering cold. The skates clinked together loudly, swaying as they moved. She loved skating, it was practically in her blood for the winter. There was a big lake by mama’s farmhouse and it always froze over mid December to early February. Hermes was a shit skating partner but they had fun. As kids they had fun. He used to take her to the ring in the city before he got his fancy conductor job and spent all his damn time on his trains. been a year at least since the last time she went. Winters were busy and there was never no work, and when there wasn’t she was either warming paid beds or living in a pub, usually Apollo’s. She hadn’t visited him there much since all this shit started. Maybe they could take an early dinner before the show, they’d be down there anyway. 

Her hand flexed in his because it felt different how he was holding it. She couldn’t pick it out exactly, but it felt different. Gods what was wrong with her? _Stop overthinkin’ him._ As if it was that fucking easy. 

The buildings began thinning as they got towards the rink, and the apartments turned to giant stone businesses and banks, and those thinned as they neared the park. The wind wasn’t as bad and breathing didn’t sting as bad with the inhale of the freezing cold air. 

Persephone stared up at Hades and her smile dropped. He looked burdened. Like a weight was too heavy and he was crushing under it. It could be nothing. It could be something. She probably looked a mess herself. Not that she’d ever let anyone, even now Hades, ever see the extent of it. That was for her eyes only, no one else’s. 

”You sure ‘bout this?” His voice trembled and she raised a brow to it, judging it wasn’t from the cold. “You afraid of the ice? You’re a big man, falling wouldn’t hurt bad.” It was slightly funny that if all things to make him nervous it was ice skating, but laughing would be rude and she didn’t want another fight, one was bad enough. “No!” He cleared his throat. “What I mean is, aren’t you cold or sore from the show?” 

Oh, he was definitely scared. It was kind of an invigorating thing to watch as wrong as it sounded. “I am just as capable of skating as I am of wakin’ up in the morning, lover. I’m a bit rusty though I’d assume, so I’ll need your arm if that’s a’ight?” There was no way in hell that she actually would be that rusty, but the nerve in his eye dissolved when she spoke. “Of course.” He rumbled, his voice smooth again and untrembling. 

”Shall we then?” He pressed a soft kiss to her temple and a smile spread up her features. He was so gentle, she missed his gentle lips, his gentle grip. Maybe he wasn’t different after all. It was just her nerves. _What if it wasn’t?_ “We shall.” 

They stopped in the snow to change a few feet from the busy rink, and it crunched under her foot as she slipped her skate one. Her grip was Hades’ arm (even though she could’ve perfectly well sat on the ground), and it didn’t take long to lace the boots up. A groan accompanied a pop somewhere in her lower back and everything was sore again.

He held her shoulder to change his own shoes and his grip was too tight to be comfortable, but surely it wasn’t on purpose. _It wasn’t on purpose._ It hurt slightly, it hurt a lot. The color was going from her cheeks, she could feel it, it was hard to breath, was her corset getting tighter?

_Pull yourself together,_

”Persephone, are you alright?” His voice sounded far. “Yeah....yeah, let’s go.” If her legs were moving she didn’t feel it. It took a minute or so until the sound of the snow crunching registered again. His breathing registered again, a steady beat, and they were most definitely walking, they had to be.

”Lover, are you ready?” 

”Yeah.”

The ice creaked as they stepped on it. She could feel hades tremble, and grabbed his arm. It was a calming feeling, the steel of the skates driving a loud scrape on the thick ice. Her corset felt loosened, and she took a deep breath of the cold air. 

It was all fine. He didn’t mean it, and everything was okay. Everything would be okay. He didn’t want to hurt her, it was fine.

Her skates clinked together as she broke slightly from her lover, only holding the tips of his fingers. “Seph, please be careful,” Hades groaned, holding her fingers tightly. “Spin me, lover.” She hummed, trying to calm her brain a little more. 

He obliged, and she laughed loudly as her skates skidded. Her arm was taken immediately after, and they started around the rink. He clung to her arm, and warmth traveled down her spine. Gods, he was handsome in the cold. That didn’t change that he felt off. Clinging to each other didn’t mean everything was fine, did it?

It has to just be her head and she wasn’t letting it ruin their day like it did the morning. He was right, she’d been overreacting. Gods she needed a drink. 

”Are we okay?” Persephone whispered to calm her nerves. They slid to a rolling hault on the ice and her heart beat a little faster. He looked genuinely shocked at the question and guilt sprouted in her chest. “Yeah...I-I mean of course we are.” He was stuttering on his words, and she immediately felt worse. “I love you.” His lips pressed to hers quickly, and they sure as hell weren’t stopped moving. “I love you too.” 

A laugh escaped as they tumbled down flat onto the ice and she could feel the stares of the the other people. It didn’t matter. Hades chuckled beside her the feeling of his lips pressed a kiss in her updo. 

”Could I be of service?” 

A woman skidded to a stop in front of them in a lavish coat and silk skirts, releasing a strong sent of lavender. She looked vaguely familiar. Her voice was like a bird, thin and higher pitched, and didn’t match her figure very well. She knew that voice from somewhere. The grip Hades held on her hand tightened. 

The woman extended her leather gloved hand, and she promptly took it, raising to her feet. She then extended it to Hades, who pushed it away. He huffed and stood unsteadily himself, snaking his arm around her waist. She gave him a look. How come he was being so rude to the woman? All she’d done was help. 

”Fine day for skating, isn’t it Hades?” She knew him? A smirk spread across the woman’s face and Persephone whipped her head to him in confusion. “Fine day.” He grumbled, sliding a little. 

”forgive me, my manors,” she extended a hand. “I go by Hera my dear, and who has the honor to my brother in laws arm?” 

_Brother-in-law?_

This woman felt so familiar though. Her voice, her face, her figure even. Surely they’d met before.

”Persephone. Have we met before?” 

”I believe we have. Brother, you wouldn’t mind my joining you and your woman for a moment now would you?”


	19. meet me in the red room

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sorry this is so late! i literally haven’t had much time to write but I hope it’ll make up for it taking so long.

”Careful, darling, that’s very expensive.” 

Persephone flinched back from the vase barely touching her fingertips. “Of course your grace.” Ares smiled broadly, placing a glass of champagne in her hand and grabbing her arm. What an odd day it’d been.

Everything ached, but the buzz from her morning wine had dulled that for now, and the champagne would do wonders. The world wasn’t quite hazy yet it wasn’t quite normal either. It was oddly nice. The warm hands on her back were nice too even if she wished they were Hades’. It was a cold day, too cold to not be in the heated houses, and much too cold to stripped in a bed and thank the gods Ares knew that. 

”Do you like it? It’s ancient Roman, like those.” He gestured with his glass to the opposite wall, stacked with small relics that he’d mentioned earlier and she was almost sure that they hadn’t been on that wall before, but what did she know? The clock in the corner ticked painfully slow. Four hours and whatever minutes were left until she could leave. It was better then the count on the clock last night that much was damn sure.

”It’s rather pretty.” Persephone answered, sipping the glass of champagne weighing down her hand. It went straight to her head judging by how bright the colors of the room got, especially the vibrants with that new bright green tapestry hung across the wall. Everything kept changing with Ares. Always had new fancy things to show her, always had new diamond to strangle her. No matter. She couldn’t change a damn thing. 

“Not as pretty as this, my flower.” Something cold touched her skin, and her eyes caught the blurry glare of the lights on diamonds. Three diamonds sat together on a chain on her neck, full in their glory and gleaming too fucking brightly. “Your grace, I don’t..” He pressed his finger to her lips. “Hush darling, take a drink why don’t you.” 

She obeyed.

Her core grew a little warmer, his hands seemed a little tighter. “Have another, dear, there’s plenty.” The liquor popped a bit on the tongue as it went down but tasted deliciously expensive. “What’s that?” She looked aback as her words slurred slightly and her hand didn’t quite lift where she wanted it to. That was odd. It was probably nothing. 

”That, my dear, is an Egyptian tablet. We pulled it from a tombed pyramid during my sister’s last excavation.” What a damn boastful asshole. He loved his relics more then his money it seemed and damn did he love his money. That was the only reason he had her wasn’t it? She was the most expensive, and played as long as he payed. Not by her choice mind anyone. He’d said it himself, that’s why he bought her all that repulsive unnatural jewelry, as he said, ‘ _I’m paying my dues to keep you.’_

A shiver traveled down her spine and the words echoed in her head. His breath was on her neck and hot, he didn’t smell like champagne though. He smiled like their lunch, or rather his lunch considering she couldn’t eat more then a bite so why trouble the chef making a meal to be wasted. Now that would’ve been just as ridiculous as whatever hazy art they were viewing now.

It was dancing vibrant colors seemingly with no rhyme to their painted movements. A light laugh escaped, and everything started swaying. _What the hell?_ She didn’t feel tired, her glass wasn’t even empty for the gods’ sakes why was the world spinning? 

”Let me lead dear.” 

Lead? What in the- oh. They were dancing. Since when were they dancing? Ares wasn’t a good dancer they kept teetering side to side far enough to make her clutch her glass harder to avoid wasting the champagne. You’d think a man having money like his would’ve warranted a dance class or two. Supposed not apparently. 

Even she’d learned to dance young and she grew up on a farm for fuck’s sakes. Her mama taught her and when Hermes came she taught him. Though she was pretty sure Hermes’ mama had taught him since she had come from money herself and he’d just humored her. She _had_ been young and he _had_ always been a gentleman. 

”Persephone, flower, you seem lost.” Ares purred in her ear, his hand dipping much further down on her back. “I do?” She slurred, it a little hard to keep her head up. Didn’t make sense, she didn’t drink that much. “You do. What’s got your mind?” 

”Nothin’, you got my mind all to yourself.” Her stomach churned angrily, a fuck you for the booze probably. Usually she had a tolerance but apparently that wasn’t working out right today. Too hazy for only a glass of wine and two sips of champagne. Maybe the bubbly was just going to her head. That had to be it. 

”If you insist.” He broke off immediately and she stumbled slightly. The diamonds weighed down her chest harshly and coldly, slamming back against it as she collected herself and the bubbly spilled on her arm. _Damn it._ The hell did she do now to piss him off? 

”I hear some news from the club, as a central investor of course, that they plan to reopen that malevolent red handkerchief nonsense that used to plague it. I assume you will be working it for the money?” Persephone shot up a little in surprise. Central investor her ass, that’s what he’s been hinting at for weeks of his degrading talk of her work. The work that _he_ was currently paying for none the less. “I will be, dear duke. Unless you object of course.” He could. If he objected, she didn’t really give a shit other then the fact she didn’t want to know what would happen if she went against his wishes while he was in charge. Fucked up as that was. 

”I happen to hear it re-opens tonight.” Tonight, two nights before the rent for the club was due. One night before all of their paychecks came over. All that damn glitter and velvet wasn’t fooling anyone anymore, especially her whose life was screwed behind that charade. It was a cacophony of music and booze with damnation waiting for one of them to screw up to take them all. That was life not particularly the club. 

”I beg one thing of you my flower,” Within the second Ares’ arms were tight against her waist again. So tight that it hurt. It was too tight, everything felt too tight. “Remember, my dear, I own you.” Her nails dug into her balled fists. She hoped they draw blood. The chances weren’t high, but gods be damned wouldn’t it be something if it did. 

No one fucking owned her. 

Or at least it was nice to think no one did.

” _These ladies and gentlemen of the red, are our diamonds.”_

Murmurs left the lips of the paying aristocracy, either praises or remarks of confusion and their perfumes and such made her nose wrinkle. Guilt bubbled inside Persephone as the contents of her wine glass were drained and it taken from her hands. Absinthe was replacing all the liquor in the red room, and no doubt their ‘guests’ would be high as hell before half an hour passed. Wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. Music swelled from the band, playing loud and brassy tunes as the gas lights flicked with the movement of the pricks she watch carefully mingle around to the girls and muses scattering the booths around the room.The working was whoever needed the extra money so in turn almost all of them were here. 

Eurydice looked about ready to strangle the handsy man who looked to have found his hole in the bottom of several glasses during the show and Persephone laughed watching. Her chest was heaving and every single muscle in her body ached. It was worth enduring it for a little longer for her lover. They had a plan, a damn good one if it went according.

Her corset was practically blinding, bedazzled in emeralds and diamonds with a small ruffled black silk running its bottom. It felt tight even though it wasn’t, and her smile hopefully looked coy and inviting which it wasn’t. A familiar sent lingered near, but only got stronger as the moment went on. It was roses and honey, where had that come from? It was an odd combination but it smelled sickly sweet and deliciously tart at the same time. _Honey catches flies faster then vinegar_

”Sit with me dear,” A familiar voice purred, making the hair on her neck stand up. _Hera?_. Persephone spun around, finding her pursuer dressed very differently and darker then when she’d previously met her. It was still expensive no question with a red handkerchief pinned to her breast with a ruby encrusted broach. The corset felt tight and her heart was hamming faster then before. What’s the worst that could happen if she sat with her? Surely Hera wasn’t expecting anything from her, for gods sakes of course she wouldn’t be, she knew about her and Hades. What kind of asshole would you have to be to pay for a tease or more by your brother-in-law’s lover?

”Sit please dear. You look gorgeous.” 

There was something so oddly familiar in the coo from Hera. It scared the shit out of her. It was too familiar for one time meeting.

A dark green bill flashed between Hera’s fingernails. “Sit Persephone.” _Shit_. Persephone said down into the booth, immediately having a cool piece of paper pressed in her palm. The other woman fingernails pressed warningly into her chin and she drew a shallow breath being immediately cut off by lips locking hers. 

_Fuck_

She knew that taste. Hera tasted like honey. Oh she knew that taste. And she’d guarantee Hera had known her immediately. 

Hera pulled off and Persephone was practically reeling. It wasn’t just her pre-show drinks screwing her brain this time. Oh gods. “We’ve done this before.” It wasn’t a question it was a fact. She knew her taste, her scent, that’s why she was so familiar when they met. Did Hades know? Is that why he seemed to hate her so much? Oh gods she had to tell Hades didn’t she? There was no choice. Tell Hades when he got there and send Hera off with one of the muses. Put her money in someone else’s corset. “Surprised you remember me dear. I bought the sparkling diamond years ago, before you were so expensive.” Hera purred, and Persephone’s eyes froze in slight panic. 

_What if Hades hated her for it?_

”Find someone else.” Her heart was hammering and and she slammed the money onto the table gesturing around. “I won’t do this to him.” She growled slightly and the lavish woman only smirked. “Keep the money, gods above know I have plenty. Be a dear and get one of your friends for me too. Since you’re not up to it.” She wanted to smack the smirk off of her face, but that’d be bad and probably end in charges. “Oh and Persephone, if you could give me a moment, I’ve heard quite the interesting rumor from a woman by the name of Athena in my woman’s club. You wouldn’t happen to know anything of her would you? Because she seems to know an awful lot about you.” 

Athena? She didn’t know anyone called Athena, expect for- “ _-my dear sister, Athena, you may have heard of her discoveries, I’m attending my next dig with her._ ” Ares’ sister. It couldn’t been could it? Please gods let it not be her. 

Persephone’s mouth hung open slightly and as hard as she tried it wasn’t closing. Hera rose and for some stupid reason she was frozen in place. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell her about you and Hades...” There was a price. There had to be a price. “..yet. On the condition you get my brother-in-law to meet with me according to his inheritance.” 

Inheritance? 

_His ring._ Hades has been wearing a golden mourning ring with the initial of K for at least a week. He’d said it was an old friend who’d passed. Old friends don’t leave you inheritances. 

”After all, according to law his father’s money should’ve been distributed equally.” Hera pressed a cold kiss to her cheek and shoved the bill in her corset. “Until we meet again my dear.”

Her teeth gritted and her fists weren’t curled out of fear or whatever had previously been taking hold. He lied to her. For weeks he lied. Business wasn’t going well he just inherited a shiton of money, enough that makes his sister in law come after her. She was pissed.

Why did he lie? Didn’t he fucking trust her?! And where the hell was he anyways? ‘I’ll be there’ her ass, he wasn’t here. Among societies largest pricks he was no where to be seen. She knew he was done work by now. He had no excuse. None. 

She scanned the room, fuming. Afra and Kimberly were with a man, Timothy with a man, and Jessie with a couple. Coughing caught her attention and immediately all the anger was replaced with panic. _Eurydice_ It didn’t sound remotely good, it sounded horrid. Where the hell was she?

The room was dim at best and a glance of red and raven hair in the corner of her eye. Persephone ran to the glance. The little bird was sputtering against the wall, crying, but the music was too loud to hear her right. “Eurydice, honey,” She muttered, pulling the girl onto her side. They had to get out of here, all these damn people weren’t helping. They could slip backstage, all easy. “Eurydice, we’re gonna go out, okay?” The bird nodded coughing badly still. Blood covered the girls hand and her elbow and Persephone’s heart broke. 

What if this was it? 

Her heartbeat skyrocketed. The door wasn’t that far, they needed to get out. She could get help, and if she couldn’t at very least she could get Orpheus. Poor boy didn’t know and it’d break him. Gods please don’t let this be it.

Eurydice’s weight was completely on top of her, but it didn’t matter. She needed to get them out, the pain of it didn’t matter. She held her close, walking them fast towards the door through the fucking patrons. The door slammed behind them and Eurydice crumbled, wheezing and coughing. “We need help!” Persephone screamed, catching Mister Reid as he creeped out of the store room. “Get Orpheus!” 

Persephone held Eurydice tightly to her chest and rubbed her back. “I can’t breathe,” The bird rasped, coughing and sputtering into her blood soaked handkerchief. Poor girl didn’t deserve this. No one deserved this. “Shhh, if ya couldn’t breathe girl, you wouldn’t be talkin’. Get it out honey, your poet’s almost here-“ “No! _He can’t know_! Please, please.” The raven feathered bird’s fingers grasped onto her arm, soaking it from her handkerchief. Droplets of blood trickled down her arm from where the girl’s hand had landed in an odd warmth, dreadfully almost comfortingly fucked up omen of warmth. 

Tears burned down her cheeks, as she rocked the breaking bird in her arms. The coughing didn’t stop and the chance it would was terrifying. As long as she was coughing she was still alive. “Eurydice, you’re gonna be okay.” She cried, holding her tightly. She didn’t know that. It felt like lying. 

All the sudden it was loud and someone was trying to rip the girl from her arms. There was no seeing right through her tears, it was blurry and she’d be damned before she gave that girl up. “Let go Persephone , she’s going to the hospital, let her go.” Afra’s voice rung in her ears, and someone was pulling her arms off of Eurydice. 

_Hospital._ That meant she was still alive. Oh thank the gods.

She wiped the tears roughly, watching Dionysus take Eurydice into his arms and Orpheus tear stricken, holding her head up as she coughed. She needed to go. For Orpheus, she needed to be there, for that girl she needed to be there. It didn’t matter she wasn’t in anything but a bedazzled corset, this was more important. She need to be there, in that room so Eurydice couldn’t refuse help, she needed to make sure Orpheus could take care of her. 

She ripped from Afra’s grip, standing unsteadily. ”Persephone what the hell are you doing?” She hissed. “Going with them!” 

”What about Hades?” 

”I don’t give a damn!” 

Nothing mattered but them. Hades, that liar, didn’t matter right now. Him not showing up didn’t matter. Eurydice mattered. Her family mattered. Shit she needed a coat. Persephone dipped into her dressing room to grab a coat and sprinting outside only for Eurydice’s carriage to take off immediately, leaving her. 

It was freezing. Snow was falling on the ground, she needed a way to catch a carriage. It was late, too late for most publics, Eurydice’s was the main that ran this late. _Shit._ Her entire body ached, she wasn’t going to make it on foot. Wind chilled her body to the bone. There wasn’t a choice. 

She wanted to cry again but it was too cold, her tears would freeze if she did. Besides, crying wasn’t helpful. She had to get moving if she was going to make it before the bird could refuse help like she knew she would. She started walking fast down the back streets. It was faster and hopefully it was too late to be mugged. Hooves sounded on the cobblestone. She froze in fear as it skidded to a stop and the door swung open. “Persephone?” A voice rumbled from the door and immediately she sighed in relief. “Hades?!” She ran to the carriage, as Hades began saying something to fall on her deaf ears. “The hospital on 6th, hurry!” She called to the driver to the accompanying of the horses moving again. 

” Persephone, what’s going on?” Hades looked terrified and his hand was on her cheek. She wanted to smack it off for what he did. He lied but she couldn’t deal with that now. Not right now. 

”Eurydice.” She cried, her lover pulling her into his arms. Tears were falling down again, burning hot against the cold. 


	20. the show must go on

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sorry this took so long!

_One, two, three._

_One._

_Two._

_Three._

The clock on the wall ticked. Eurydice’s chest rose and fell to the ticks, her nephew’s crying whimpers seemed to fall every five ticks, and her lover’s foot tapped to every three. They were practically instruments in the almost quiet, except her. It was too much to process, everything has happened so much and so fast and the almost quiet was a good time to think. It was just a shame she’d been trying to think since chaos had died down hours ago and someone had brought her clothes to change into. Her head didn’t want to be on her side now. 

Persephone’s thoughts kept repeating. Hades lied, Eurydice almost died, and there was a bill stuck down her corset. She’d tried to comfort the boy but he shrugged her off, and now she just sat. Arms had been around her, but she’d shrugged them off. All that was left since thinking was off the table was to watch, listen, and wait. So the clock ticked, Orpheus sniffled, and Hades’ stupid shoe tapped. 

The money itched against her chest but it was down too far to get. The bird’s chest rose and fell as she watched the girl on the bed who was a hundred times paler then she should be. Maybe that’s what consumption does, she didn’t know. The doctors didn’t seem to know much either, but that could just be because she didn’t speak their scientific language. Lucky for them the rich boy came out of hades and he translated after they left. It made her pissed and relived at the same time which wasn’t a happy combination.

He lied. It wasn’t even like it was for a good fucking reason. Seriously, lying about getting an inheritance, really? It’s not like she didn’t already know his name was worth more then her entire life was. What’s more money on top of that matter? He had no reason to do it. She only lied when it _mattered_. Money on top of money didn’t matter. It’s not like his extra fortune mattered to her anyways. If she was after his money they would’ve been married months ago and the diamond mask would never have come off. She didn’t give a damn about his money. 

They had to talk.

There had to be a reason, _he had to have a good reason._ He had too. He wouldn’t just lie would he? He loved her, he wouldn’t lie unless it was important. His father had been an asshole, she’d already heard him say it, maybe it was just something dumb. How could he lie to her? Lie to her for so long. How dare he lie to her about something so stupid. Didn’t he trust her? 

Persephone sighed, staring down at her gloves. “Hades,” She whispered and he perked up. They needed to talk now before her brain went one tracked again. Eurydice was fine at the moment, and Orpheus was with her if she woke. Not that it was likely would, not yet. Her head tilted to the door and her lover nodded. 

”Are you leavin’?” Orpheus’ soft, broken, voice hurt her heart so bad. “I ain’t leavin’, darlin’, just need a minute.” She walked over to the boy and pressed a kiss to his head. Tears were still damp on his young face and she held him for a moment, eyes looking over to the bed. Orpheus was so young, Eurydice was so young. They didn’t deserve this. Her grip on her nephew tightened slightly. “Call for us if Anythin’ happens, ya hear?” Persephone whispered and she could feel the boy nod against her. 

Persephone stepped away and slipped out the door, and Hades was waiting outside the door. “Lover?” He whispered and she put her hand out to stop him. “Not here.” Last thing she wanted was to end up screaming in a hallway full of doctors and outside the little bird’s door.

She peaked in the dark windows of the doors lining the hallway until with a jolt on the handle one opened. Thankfully it was empty except for a laundry pile of blood stained rags. Made sense, they were on the consumption floor after all. An almost metallic odor consumed the room, with bloody air so thick she could taste it. It’d have to do, given she wasn’t exactly planning on picking any locked staff doors to have a private conversation. They were lucky enough the woman’s consumption ward was practically empty and they had the privacy of an empty wing for Eurydice. 

”Hades.” She hissed waving him into the room. His nose wrinkled as she shut the door and made sure the click of the sounded. “Lover, what’s wrong?” His hand connected with her cheek gently and gods part of her wanted it to stay. _No. He needed to know she was being serious_. Persephone ducked away from him, watching a slight tings of something resembling heart break in his eyes. “What can I do for you?” He asked as if it was simple and he stepped respectfully closer. Gods damn why’d he have to be making it hard for her to scream at him.

There wasn’t gonna be an easy way to do this, so why was she looking for one?

”Nice ring you got there. Expensive.”

Hades looked down at his hand in what looked like confusion and it made her seethe. _Playing dumb, really?_

”I told you Seph, my friend-“ 

”Friends don’t leave you inheritances.” 

He looked shocked. “How did you-“ A deep scoff left her lips. Her eyes stung. “How did I? Why did you fucking lie?!” Persephone hissed, eyes narrowing towards her open mouthed lover. “It’s not like I would have cared you got more money why didn’t you tell me? Why did ya lie about who died?” 

”Persephone, I...” He sighed. “Who told you?” That’s what he was concerned about? _Really?!_ That was the sentence he wanted to counter with? Her heart was breaking. He didn’t care he lied to her did he? He was just mad someone snitched on him. 

The bill scratched against her skin. _The bill._ Persephone unbuttoned her blouse’s top and dug the money out from her corset. She hadn’t gotten properly dressed, and since they didn’t wear shifts or anything of the sort for the show the corset was pressed directly onto her skin and it shifted uncomfortably as her hand reached down its center front. The cool paper finally touched her fingered tips and the next moment she had it shoved against Hades’ chest. “Your sister in law.” She hissed. “Maybe next time tell her not to try and sleep with me again just to get your fucking attention. Oh and by the way you and your fancy inheritance are in a lot of trouble with her. But suppose you already knew that and just figured you’d ignore her to the point she had to go through me.” 

“I’m sorry about Hera bothering you at work.” 

_Really?!_ “That’s not what I’m mad about! Why did you lie to me?” She could see Hades’ face start to twitch in anger. She was getting to him. Good. “I didn’t think it would effect you.” Persephone’s breath caught in her throat. His voice was ice cold and stern and it made her feel sick. “You effect me! Why don’t you get that? That’s what happens when you love someone Hades! Your life effects me!” 

”It most certainly does not effect you, Persephone. Spending my own money no matter how I got it, does not effect you.” 

How the fuck was he not getting this? She cared about him, not his stupid money. His father died and he just thought it wasn’t an important thing to discuss. He’d been acting off ever since, clearly he wasn’t okay. 

”It’s not like I’m paying for you.”

Time stopped. Persephone’s eyes burned, and her chest felt tight against her corset. _Did he just?_ That dignity she clung to started slipping, and it only ignited her blood. Hades’ eyes were froze on her and he looked _sorry_. “Seph-Seph I...I didn’t-“ He stammered as her lips contorted. “Get.Out.” A deep ungodly hiss left her lips. He flinched back. “Did you not hear me? Get out. Far as I checked I got every right to tell you to get the fuck out as family to the ill. Don’t expect me home either.” She pushed past him, shoving down the knowledge her blouse was undone and anyone in the hallway would see her corset. “Seph- _please_.”

_Please?_

A guttural scoff burned her throat as she turned her back and threw open the door. 

Persephone’s foot tapped impatiently to her heaving chest. What the hell was so damn important? And if something was where the hell was Dionysus? Orpheus’ breathing was rapid and out the corner of her eye she could see him fidgeting. He didn’t want to be away from Eurydice. This better be damn well important. 

The door clicked open and a tight small grip appeared on her hand. _Poor boy_. “I’m sorry to hear about Eurydice. You know we’ll pay for the hospital stay.” The chair behind his desk slid out and she wouldn’t look at him. Old friend her ass, they’d be friends again when all this shit was over. Pure rage flowed through her veins from her fight with Hades. She wasn’t in the mood for this. 

”The fuck are we here for?” 

”’scuse me?” 

Persephone glared up at Dionysus, her hand going numb under the nervous pressure Orpheus was gripping it with. “You heard. The hell is so important?” Venom dripped from her words and her old friend’s expression dropped. “I have business with both of you. You do work for me after all, or have you forgotten?” He hissed back calmly. It made her sick. “Business?” A small voice left her nephew’s lips, the few times he’d spoken today it seemed to be quieter each time. “Finish your musical. We’ve rehearsed what you’ve done and our date is coming, so get it done. Pay is withheld until I get the finished copy.” 

She sprung to her feet, close to decking Dionysus in the face. By the look on his face he knew it too. Only thing stopping her was Orpheus. It would tear him to see her do that, even if her would be victim deserved it. He already’d seen enough today. Her fists balled. “Pay him mine. I can live off tips.” The pen tapped back and fourth on the desk and a slight hum left Dionysus’ making the desire to sock him stronger. “That can be done. Except tips need to be taxed then.” He did a slight smirk and her nails dug into her palms. “You son of a-“ 

She suddenly remembered Orpheus was there and shut her mouth tight. “Now Persephone, our business-“ _”Not with the boy.”_ Persephone hissed just loud enough to see her old friends hair stand up slightly. “Orpheus you may go.” The boy’s eyes were doe-wide and trained on her. He looked scared. Maybe it was just about Eurydice. Anger was her tool to mask the fear, but it wasn’t his. He was young. Young people still felt things openly, she knew she used to. Funny how that changes. 

“You hear me boy?” Dionysus rapped, and Orpheus jumped to his feet. “Y-Yes sir.” He practically ran out the door and she watched carefully until the door clicked shut. “Happy now, Seph?” Oh he was trying to get smacked wasn’t he? “Piss off.” She hissed, smoothing her dress down so her hand wouldn’t fly at his face. “Sit. We have business.” The chairs creaked as they sat. “What does the duke want now?” It was the tone that told her it was about him. The tone in the word _business_ , meant it was that business, not real business. 

”He’s withdrawn his funding until further notice.” 

” _What?!_ ” 

A piece of expensive paper was thrust into her hands. “In his words, he won’t pay for a service doesn’t have.” She scanned the letter furiously and in Ares’ curled handwriting Dionysus had only paraphrased the extent of the complaint. Her corset felt tight and rage re-ignited in her blood. “This is fucking ridiculous! I do whatever he wants!” 

”Apparently not. Says he payed for the woman not the...well you can read.” In the letter, _‘I payed for a woman’s heart, not a whore’s body._. Everything felt like it was breaking. Every ounce of dignity, every slip of pride she clung to was gone. Was it ever really there? If it could break so easily over the course of a day, who’s to say she didn’t loose it all a long time ago.

”There’s a carriage waiting outside.”

Her eyes went up to him and her brows furrowed. “What?” Persephone’s voice wasn’t as strong as she wished it was. “You need to fix your fucking mistake.” Dionysus said calmly, moving from behind his desk. She was frozen in place. 

”Go put your smile on and get your deal back.or we loose everything. And you’re lucky, last time the duke was let down his whore was met with a bucket of acid.”

Her breathe caught. Dionysus shoved her out the door roughly and everything paused. _Pull yourself together diamond, and get on with the show._

________

The bright light of the chandelier reflected off the glass of whiskey momentarily blinded Hades. Lights weren’t his friend right now. Two days into sitting with a glass in his hand would do that, or at least that’s what he’d heard. Seemed true enough. Wasn’t a full two days more like after he got home yesterday until now, whenever now was. There was the grandfather clock in the corner and it ticked but there was no way in hell he could read it. All Hades could tell was that it was dark and he felt awful. 

Not just because of the booze either. 

Persephone. Persephone, he needed Persephone. She hadn’t come home. She said she wasn’t coming home last night but she still wasn’t back. He went to her apartment, she wasn’t there either. He’d stole a bottle of absinthe from her cabinets to ease the wait. Hades needed her to come home. He needed to apologize. 

Why’d he have to be so damn smug? Why couldn’t he have just told her the truth? Telling the truth seemed so hard. He wasn’t great with feelings and shit, she ‘ought to know that by now. _Now_ what if there is no now? what if he screwed up so bad she left him? She wouldn’t do that. She was too good to do that. Gods she was so so good to him. Hades loved every fiber of her, even when she was screaming at him (not that he didn’t deserve it) and she wanted him to get out. 

How was he gonna find her if she wasn’t home? A sip of the glittering whiskey brought an idea. The club. If it was the show time, she’d be at the club. “Styx!” He called hoarsely, hiccuping his whiskey down. “Styx! What times is it?!” A slightly loud patter came down the hall and muffled on the rug. “Yes dear boy?” The slightly blurry familiar form of the ancient woman rounded the corner. “Styx-“ “Ms. Styx, I won’t have you forgetting your manners today my dear boy.” “ _Ms._ Styx, what time is it?” She seemed to be thinking a moment and turned for the clock. “Nearly ten. My boy! Its past bed for you and your brothers.” 

Nearly ten. The show ended at ten. He could make it by ten. 

He scrambled up drunkly, reaching to kiss Styx on the head before running for his coat. It was absolutely freezing outside and it immediately bit at him. The streets were empty and Hades squinted in the gas lamps’ annoying light. He’d have to run to get there. Or at least until he got downtown where everyone was still awake and carriages would be running still. He knew how to get there. Hopefully. Really hopefully. 

It was too cold to second guess now. He ran as fast as his tired old legs would carry and didn’t stop. The lamps got fewer and fewer the further he got, replaced by open pub door and much less respectable places. Well, less respectable wasn’t fair. The people there didn’t deserve to be thought of any lower then he did. If Persephone taught him anything it was that, didn’t matter what you did, it only mattered who you were. 

Eventually an array of obnoxious lights and bright paint blinded him. _The club._ Thoughts were a little less drunk now and the fact he has actually ran the way was a miracle. Supposed everything was too numb to hurt the way it should’ve been. Hades ran around the back to the stage door.

It was loud as hell in the hallway and performers he vaguely knew waved but he just ran past them to her dressing room. He didn’t bother knocking, the door swung open and he immediately shut it behind him. Exhaustion was catching up with him, but his eyes went wide. Persephone was staring at him with her brows raised. She looked beautiful in a highly fashionable pink silk dress with her curls swept up in a glittering head piece. 

It was purely silent.

Tears began to poke at his eyes. “Persephone..” He rasped, taking a drunk breath. She turned her back to him and went back to her vanity. He needed to apologize. Suck in all his damn pride and say it. His knees quivered and he sunk to them with a loud thud. “Seph, I’m so sorry.” A deep sob left his throat. “I don’t deserve you. I know. I’m an idiot, a fool, I know. Hate me, all you want just please, please, know I love you. I’ll never lie to you again. I love you...” Warm wafting perfume surrounded him along with his sobs not being the only crying sound. His ethereal lover leaned on his shoulder blurrily and cupped his cheek. Tears made her glisten more then diamonds ever could. “I don’t hate you. I could never hate you. I love you.” Her voice was like a melody in his ears. “Come home with me.” Hades rasped, holding her as tight as he could. “I can’t. I’m promised to him tonight.” Her voice sounded like it was broken into a million pieces. “Then tomorrow, just come home to me.” He slurred against her neck. “Always.” 

Hades held her tight against his chest, and he didn’t plan on ever letting go again.


	21. like a virgin

Wheezes filled the room.

Persephone could feel her lungs aching more then before and it was awful. Gods this better be worth it. _It’s worth not getting acid thrown in your face._ her head had a point. A little pain in her lungs was worth not being mortally wounded. 

”My dear are you all right in there?” Ares’ voice echoed through the door and she hissed instinctively. “Peachy, just give me a moment please.” She called back, staring in the mirror of the women’s lavatory and fixing herself up slightly. She’s only been gone five minutes. Five minutes to just breathe, stop smiling, and be alone. “Our table is ready, I’ll wait in the seating room for you.” She could hear footsteps and then head them fade while her hands trembled, fixing the extravagant hat fixed to her head. 

Ares had picked out quite the outfit completely unfit for all the walking he was making them do. Breakfast then the tailors shop for his suits, a pop in the courthouse, visit to the press house, and now lunch. Not that she’d be eating with how badly laced that girl had done her up this morning. Everything was sore. There was at least five layers of silk on top of her petticoats, all in that awful lavender color that the duke seemed to absolutely love. Compared to the dress the hat wasn’t bad though. Persephone wanted to go home. Run a warm bath and go to bed. And it was only half past _noon._

After a last check in the mirror, the door opened and shut behind her. Outside on one of the seating sofas was the duke in wait accompanied by- _oh fuck no_. Hera, draped in pink silk and a cream wool coat, was sitting next to him her his hand gracing her knee. “Ah! Persephone my flower, come!” She obeyed. Why the hell did it have to be Hera. Why were the gods so against her? Seriously, what had she done? Actually, considering everything she had she probably deserved this. 

Panic flooded her eyes but her smile stayed steady. Ares grasped her wrist tightly, digging the seam of her glove into her wrist painfully. “Persephone, this is my business partner Zeus’ beautiful wife.” Hera blushed and slapped Ares’ hand playfully. “You’re too kind for a man of nobility.” Her voice was higher pitched and clearly feigned. “Nonsense dear.” The duke’s lips curled into that gut wrenching smile of his. It made her stomach turn.

“Well I must be off to my ladies meeting, I do hope you tell Athena we miss her terribly.” Hera purred, as Ares kissed her knuckles, his other hand still digging into Persephone’s wrist. “I will in my next letter. Tell your husband we’ve spoke. Persephone say good bye.” Bile rose in her throat but she pushed it down. _Put on a show._ “Lovely to meet you, Lady Zeus.” The words left in a confident hum, through her tight smile. “Oh no need for formalities. Call me Hera.” The lavish woman winked at her before leaving off into the cafe room.

_Did Hera really just pretended for her?_

For some reason that only seemed to make her stomach twist more. “Good girl. Now let’s eat.” Ares pressed a chaste kiss to her cheek, his grip on her wrist dropping and taking her arm instead. His kisses were never gentle. They weren’t rough either, they were cold. It was a punishment. He’d said it, and even if he hadn’t it wasn’t hard to figure. _‘you’re lucky you can be salvaged.’_ That night at his doorstep. The screaming that he did that she _deserved_ for disappointing him. He’d kill her if he found out about Hades. If she wasn’t sure before, Persephone sure as hell was now. Even being back in his tight leashed good graces now, she could feel it. 

He lead her out into the lavish and over decorated dining room, filled with people just as lavish and over decorated as the room itself. She certainly looked the part and it was disgusting. She’d prefer eating dinner in the back alley bohemian gutters where she lived then being here. Sweat beaded down her back and it was uncomfortably soaking her chemise. There were no windows. Nothing but gas lights, expensive people, and the thick sent of men with too much entitlement. Men like the duke with their wives and their mistresses. Girls who were just like her except they were dumb enough to fall in love and weren’t being paid for their affection. And then a few that broke her heart. In the corners if she stared long enough before Ares noticed, were the wives in expensive jewelry and black eyes or split lips and excessive headdresses. 

Poor girls. 

A mixture between guilt and pure horror started to rise in her. 

_What if she’d never met Hades?_

If they hadn’t fallen in love that would be her. The duke was a wealthy man, and looks only got you so much for so long. Dionysus had said it before he knew about Hades. Settle down with the duke while you have the chance. The bruised wife covered in extravagance to attempt at hiding the obvious would’ve been her.

Was it her? 

There were bruises gracing her cheekbone and all the ones you couldn’t see under the dress and shit. At least forty new cut diamonds were chained around her neck and the hat was so heavy and obnoxious it felt like a rock rubbing against her skull. Extravagance hiding pain. An abused wife without the title. That didn’t count though, did it? The duke was wealthy and she was just an expensive whore. No one felt silent pity for her kind like they did the wives that was obvious. Thinking otherwise would mean the lost air from tight lacing was starting to go to her head. 

”Sit dear,” Ares purred, pulling her attention back. They had a table in the back right corner by an outside door, to a balcony of some sort if she had to guess. Why couldn’t they be sitting on the balcony? Sure it was cold as shit, but at least she’d be able to breathe. The window was a deeply fogged stained glass but the shadow of a man stood out on it. Broad shoulders, if she looked long enough she could hear her lover’s husky voice carrying through the door. _It was him._

“We’ll take your best Chardonnay bottle and your finest chefs special.” The waiter was a young man vaguely reminding of Orpheus, in an atmospheric way not by looks. No, this boy had dark curly hair and was built a lot stronger then her Orpheus, but his fingers had the scuff of a guitarist and his voice even though she hadn’t been paying attention enough to hear, resonated in the air like a young singer. 

“Is that for the ma’am too?” The boy asked and her mouth opened to answer, but Ares tightly grasped her hand making her words die. “I said ‘we’ didn’t I boy?” He hissed at the boy who didn’t so much as flinch. “Yes sir.” The waiter’s eyes lingered on her for a moment. Either it was out of pity or he wasn’t a good person. Could be both, most men it seemed to be. 

”off with you.” Ares hissed and the boy and he scurried back to the kitchen. Persephone’s eyes lowered to stare at her gloved hand feeling it turning a pale sick color under the duke’s grip. “Ares you’re hurtin’ me.” The words left in a slight whisper and a hand grasped her chin, forcing it upward. “I’m terribly sorry dear.” His lips curled in his dumb fucking smile and he released the grip on her hand. It was almost completely numb. A sharp pain shot up the arm once it regained feeling after being let go.

“It’s fine.” She whispered, her mouth completely dry. He let go of her chin and her jaw felt like it was bruising already. Seemed to bruise quicker, but they lasted longer. Hopefully it wouldn’t peak through her makeup, it would just piss Ares off more.

His hands were so much bigger then hers. Not bigger then Hades’, but still bigger then hers. They scared her. _Hades_ fucking scared her now. How horrible was that? Couldn’t even look at her own hands without her head going light and her pulse quickening. Her heart hammered hard. Harder then it used to. Her smile was tighter too. 

What a damn mess she was in.

Life didn’t used to be this complicated. Back before Hades and Ares, all she had to do was preform, keep a hair pin close to fend off unwanted customers, and give her services every once in a while. It wasn’t fun and it wasn’t good, but it wasn’t complicated. Only thing she had risking then was her honor not her and her lover’s life. 

Persephone was damned. At least it felt like it. Nothing would ever be the same even if Ares was ever gone. There was Hades now. There was a stray dog and fancy aristocratic house she had the option of spending the night in. It was all accompanied by a terribly idiotic feeling of love. He made her dumb enough to fall in love those months ago. How ridiculous was that? All is took was a nervous man and a bouquet of carnations to make her fall in love.

”Now my dear, for our afternoon I was wondering if we might pop into Cartier and get you a new necklace or two. How does that sound my pet?” Ares purred, his damn awful grin widening. “Sounds delightful, your grace.” She replied, a sharp pain traveling through her jaw from her teeth grinding at themselves.

The afternoon went painfully slow but now the night was moving too fast. She shouldn’t have gotten smashed on Champagne in Ares’ office before being sent off. Should’ve known better.

The heavy door slammed shut and the scratch of paws sounded on Hades’ fancy tile, and soon a barking blob barreled in her legs. Her drunk balance wavered and with a painful jolt up her ribcage Persephone could feel her ass collide with the floor and her ribs connected with the metal door handle.

”Fuck.” A deep hiss left her lips as Cerberus barked and bounded on top of her. “Where’s your father?” The dog’s head cocked at the question. Of course. Cerberus was a _dog._ Even drunk she wasn’t devote of all her damn common sense. “Mister Hades is that you?” Styx’s shrill elderly voice broke the (other then Cerberus’ slobbering panting) silence. “It’s me Styx.” Her voice came out in a growl and pain still radiated in her ribcage. “Oh hello dear. Mister Hades isn’t home yet, could I do anything for you?” The old woman’s voice was so kind and pure she envied it. No wonder Hades loved her like a mother, Styx was kind and sweet. Forgetful, but she still showed up none the less. 

”I’m fine Styx. Go home.” Persephone told, slurring slightly and thank the gods for that. She was not in the mood to hear ‘a lady mustn’t drink’ again from the kind old housekeeper whose mind stopped years ago. “If you say so m’lady.” Styx spoke way too chipperly for Persephone’s hazy brain turning around fast on her heel. The old woman padded off until the heels clicking was out of earshot. 

Now where was hades?

Her buzz was wearing down and _fuck_ did it hurt. Pain radiated up her back again. Cerberus barked and she winced. “Shhhh, hush Cerby, hush. Mama’s tired.” She hissed and the dog winced, burying into her side. The small bell on his collar rung earsplittingly. “Pa had to get ya a collar with a damn bell didn’t he? Course he did.” Of course Hades did. It was a fine collar usually but tonight it sure as hell wasn’t. Cerberus loved it though. Maybe it was from growing up ‘round the horses jangling on the street. Seemed fair enough. Persephone loved the sound of crickets from living on her mother’s farm. Couldn’t hear crickets much in the city though.

Couldn’t hear much of nature at all even in the quieter Aristocratic neighborhoods where her men lived. It was too quiet and yet not quiet enough. Maybe she was just used to living in the gutter. Used to the noises of petty crime, loud kids, and never stopping clicks of horses. 

what was the point of it all?

Uncomfortable warm tears started rolling down her cheeks and maybe it was just being drunk, but _what was the fucking point?_ Why did she do this to herself? There didn’t seem to be a reason. There was never a damn reason. Persephone’s cheeks burned. She could’ve stayed. Never followed Hermes to the city. Never signed her life away. But then she wouldn’t have met Hades. Gods it felt wrong just thinking like that sitting in _his_ hallway with _their_ stray and drunk on another man’s liquor.

Wearing another man’s money down to her corset. _Fuck it. Fuck it all._ She lightly nudged a whining Cerberus off and it felt like trying to pick up a sandbag moving her fingers. Being drunk was exhausting. That was unfair. Didn’t make sense either. Alcohol was supposed to make you feel good not stupid. 

The gloves felt stuck on her skin, probably from how bed she was sweating. Painful little red circles rounded down her hands as she dragged them off fast. A slight wince left her lips but it was loud enough Cerberus head because he jumped right on. Persephone groaned and pushed the dog off again. “Mama’s busy.” She hissed, flexing her bright red fingers. Gods everything just hurt. Her fingers, her ribs, her head. Maybe it hadn’t been a good idea to get drunk tonight. Then again it was never a good idea, it just made her feel better. Apparently not tonight though.

Her hands grasped at the clasps of her coat and it shrugged into a pile on Hades’ fancy tile. Stupid coat. Wasnt even warm it was just ‘fashionable’. The house was warm but a shiver snuck up her spine anyway like an alley cat under an open lamp. A deep laugh left at that thought. Supposed she was rather like an alley cat. Traveling back and forth, not belonging anywhere and constantly shivering. No cat would be as dumb as she was though. No cat would be dumb enough to put themselves in this situation. Alley cats know how to stay alive on their own terms. Come and go as they please. Something she sure as hell didn’t have the liberty to. 

Damn cats having more sense then her.

——————-

“ _While I apologize for my crude methods to getting you here, You’re being followed.”_

Heras words kept ringing in his brain. Why would someone follow him? It didn’t make any sense, but it was true. He came to the dinner meet furious and left suspicious of everyone he passed. Walking to carriage he’d spotted the tail. A young woman with any noticeable features hidden in a widows veil. Hades highly doubted it was genuine rather then just to make sure he couldn’t memorize her face if he looked back. 

The woman just passed in front of the house as he stepped from his carriage. The house was dark and that made his fingers twitch. Persephone usually waited to go to bed. Gods shed be furious he didn’t a note. _Damnit_. His keys jangled in his hand, and they quickly met the lock and pushed the door open wide. 

What the hell?

The door caught on something and his heart shot up as he reached to press the gas lamp on. The lights caught and revealed a silk jacket, bodice, skirt, and gloves. A little further a petticoat and bustle, and towards the kitchen was a discarded corset. “Seph?” He called out gently, earning a groan to echo from the kitchen. 

He put down his hat and gloves, hanging his coats and over coat. It was nice and warm in house compared to the snow starting to fall outside. Light poured from the kitchen so he followed it. Glowing ethereally in the bright lights was his lover just in what he assumed was her chemise that she’d told him it was called, holding a bottle of gin, and looking close to passing out. Her hair was torn out of what he’d assumed had been in an updo, and the curls were completely wild. It was gorgeous. She was gorgeous. 

”Persephone?” Her head slightly turned to him and he got down next to her on his knees. “Persephone, lover, it’s me.” She smiled slightly as his hand reached to stroke her cheek. How drunk did she have to be for this? What had that bastard done to make her hurt this bad? Fuck, why hadn’t he ignored Hera and been at the house. “Lover, why don’t we go up to bed?” Hades asked, kissing her head and gently prying the bottle from her hand. “Hades....” Her voice was raspy and tired, it made his heart break but he smiled at her sofy anyways. “I’ve got you. You’re safe. You’re home.” She started shifting sluggishly, almost falling into his arms. He quick grabbed her and pulled her close to his chest. 

His entire back protected picking her up, but she was more important the throwing his muscles out. Didn’t matter about him, it mattered getting Persephone into bed and making sure she was safe. He was fuming internally. He should have been here earlier. He swore to protect her and damn it he would. 

Contract or not, it was time for this to end. Hades wouldn’t watch Persephone do this to herself, and he _wouldn’t_ keep letting Ares hurt her. It was time to face the music. Time for the curtain to fall and hopefully bash Ares’ head in.


	22. gorecki

Hades had a plan. 

And the first phase of it was keeping Persephone in bed as long as possible, long enough for his lie to convince. It was early in the morning, and Persephone had performed last night which meant she’d most likely sleep late. Wasn’t one to wake up early when she had a hangover. From what he saw last night at the club she’d have a big one to sleep off, which worked in his favor. 

Hades sat up in bed slightly and watched her breath. Her arms her red and bruised, she made slight gasps because he knew he ribs were cracking even if she didn’t admit it to him. Gods this better work. This plan better work. He couldn’t afford it not too. Couldn’t watch her like this anymore. She didn’t even look peaceful when she slept. It was heartbreaking. 

The sun was starting to rise, but not enough that it went greatly through the window. By his guess it was near seven, and he’d be due at work if it weren’t Sunday. Not that he’d leave her anyway. Not for work. Not for anything. 

He had the curtains drawn. Every single one of them. Every window visible covered. _Followed._ That would mean someone could be watching in. Every window had view of either the street or the backs of the houses behind. One was a makeshift inn. The woman following could be staying there. Or at least they would be if they were any good at their job. 

Persephone moaned softly in her sleep and brought his attention back. “Hush lover,” He whispered softly, stroking her arm. She stirred more the second his skin touched hers and rolled onto his arm, sending a sharp pain up his arm. She didn’t weigh much, not much at all especially now, but his nerves were getting old. 

His plan was weighing on him a bit. It was brutal. The bastard deserved it, but it was cruel. And the worst part is he knew Hera was on to him. She knew Ares. If she warned him it was dangerous. Ares would prepare for it, or worse. It hingded on a prayer that his sister in law wasn’t aiming to spite him. Never knew that woman’s motives. Not when she married his shitstick brother. Not when she decided to raise his bastard children up right. Especially not when she challenged his relationship with Persephone. His _love_ for her.

Why did he even listen to her? It was stupid. She did as she pleased, and she wasn’t proof of trust. God damnit, everything could go to shit now. 

”You’ll be safe soon.” Hades whispered, tracing around the bruises on his lover’s skin. “I swear my love. I swear.” Her skin was freezing but it was warm in the house. He pulled up the blankets and she hissed slightly. 

His plan would work if the gods willed it, not that he put much stalk in the whole deity belief. Raised religious or not, they didn’t save him or his mother, so truly if someone was up there he prayed one of them would save his lover. 

It was a strange feeling he had for her. Hades never thought he could feel so possessive over something. _Someone_. She wasn’t a thing, she wasn’t even his. He didn’t own Persephone. It was wrong that he had a sneaking feeling of wanting to. Wanting to be able to have his arm on her, knowing she was _his_. Wrap her in things that proved she was. But that’s what Ares did. It was wrong, Hades knew it was wrong. Why did it sound so right then?

He groaned, wrapping his arms around his lover. “I love you.” He whispered. “I love you so much.” She didn’t stir. Of course she didn’t, she was asleep and hungover. She would hear him. Or maybe she would but she wouldn’t remember it. All this was making his head hurt. Too much to think through. He had a plan, it would work. 

———————

“You sure?” 

Persephone’s head hissed. Good fucking gods. Liquor was shit the morning after. And she just happened to run hades’ stalk of medicine dry. Well there was an apothecary but she couldn’t afford it. Couldn’t tell hades or else he’d try to pay. Kept trying to pay for everything damnit. Didn’t want his money. Men are stupid. They give all their money away like it’s nothing to people who don’t need it. Persephone liked to think if she had money she’d get everyone out of the club. No more gentlemen, no more business, just a nice flat and a chance at being happy. But only men seemed to make the money in this world.

”Of course I’m sure.” Hades pressed a kiss to her head and she could feel his arms tightening on her waist again. Never too tightly though. Just tight enough. He was warm, and she was absolutely freezing. His house may be heated but there always seemed to be a draft following her around. It was especially freezing in just her nightgown and robe.

”Dio doesn’t usually cancel rehearsal Hades.”There was suspicion in her voice, as bad as she wished there wasn’t. It was odd. Waking up near noon to a full bed and hearing something damn near impossible come from her lovers lips. Dionysus never canceled. Not for weather. Not for lack of audience or an accident. Nearly a decade and half in this shithole of a life and he’d never canceled. Something felt off.

But she trusted hades. What would he gain from lying about this? Absolutely nothing. No one lied for no reason. That wasn’t logical. Her lover was logical. Logic hurt her head. She needed to run to the apothecary. Or cheaper, she could raid Apollo’s pharmaceutical experiments if he wasn’t home. She’d leave a note. Yeah. That could work. Wasnt nice, but he’d never picked a bone over it before.

”Even if there’s no work, I still gotta run out.” Persephone whispered, a horrible hungover rasp paining her throat. Her limbs felt like led. It was much better feeling to just stay here wrapped in Hades’ arms.

“whatever you need I can send someone out for. Don’t worry Seph.” 

His words shook in her core. _Send someone out._ Even the thought felt wrong. She wasn’t like him, she didn’t send people out for tasks she could do herself. Persephone was the class of the person he’d pay to go to the apothecary. Perhaps even below him, depending if she was counting herself a pay by courtesan or stage performer.

“No.” 

”Seph, don’t worry, lover, it’s no trouble-“

“I said no!” 

Hades’ eyes were wide and it brought a slight guilt. He was only trying to help. Why couldn’t she see it as helping? Was she that broken?

”I’m sorry.” Persephone whispered, hiding her face against her lover’s neck. She didn’t want to cry, pray to the gods her tears didn’t fall. She didn’t even know why she wanted to sob. Sharp pains made it hurt to think, nausea made it hard to breathe. And Hades felt so fucking bittersweet to hold onto it made her gag. 

”It’s okay. I’m not mad.” Of course he wasn’t. He seemed to rarely get mad lately. Maybe one half a moment. But not since she yelled at him from Hera. He had barely so much as raised his voice toward her. It was such an important change. Ares screamed and grabbed. Hades was gentle with both his words and his touch. She liked to think the difference was love. It felt good thinking it was love.

”You know I would never hurt you, right Seph?” He asked in a tone so soft it make her heart lurch for a moment. “I know.” She whispered back, a crack in her voice breaking up her words. “You can cry. Don’t be afraid too, not with me.” 

She could feel his larger hands tracing up and down her back which calmed her tears slightly. A few burned hot down her cheek, but he kissed them away the second they touched. He was trying so hard to comfort her, and it was clear and also working. Something felt so safe. He felt so safe. Safe she should be used to by now but still wasn’t. Wasn’t used to his gentle hands even though it’d been months since she first felt them. The rough from ares seemed to try and drown out the gentle from hades.

A pit settled in her stomach.

“Seph, lover, what can I do for you?” Hades asked her softly, his grip tightening enough for her to notice it. A jolt of adrenaline accompanied it. _Be careful_. “Too tight hades.” Her voice came out barely there. Gods damn it. “What? I didn’t hear you lover.” His hand traced her spine, making a shiver travel up it. “Too tight hades.” She whispered, the lump forming in her throat out of fear making it hard to speak.

His hands immediately released and Persephone stood up as he mumbled apologies. She needed a drink. Just one to calm her nerves, maybe quell the hangover nausea until she could raid her cousin’s makeshift apothecary. Her eyes scrambled around the room for the clock, squinting to read the small printed grandfather in the corner. _Nearly noon._

She walked over to the bookshelf the liquor was kept on and pulled a glass with a bottle of gin. Uncapped, the gin let out a sickeningly sweet odor that made her nose wrinkle. Hades kept his gin sweet. Disgusting in her opinion. Sweetness didn’t belong in liquor, if you didn’t like how it tasted alone then just don’t drink it. 

“I’ll have some.”

Persephone pulled another glass and filled them both with the disgusting gin before handing one to her lover and taking a sniff of hers before taking a sip.

”Thank you.” Hades’ voice was barely above a whisper and it made a her heart skip a beat or two. She tilted her glass to him as a, _you’re welcome_ , and sat on the chair opposite the sofa. 

”Where’d you have to go?” He asked after a few moments of silence and after she’d worn down half her glass. “My cousin’s.” She answered, swallowing the sweet coating sticking on the roof of her mouth. 

”Which cousin?” He sat a little leaned and it made him feel closer. A good closer. Close but far. 

”Apollo. He owns-“ “The bar we had our date in, right?” She nodded and took another sip of the disgusting liquor. If you could even call it liquor. Sissy shit. “Could i come with you?” Hades asked, and her breath caught for a minute. 

he’d think less of her if he came, wouldn’t he?

”I-you don’t have too.” Persephone whispered, taking down the rest of her gin. “I can wait outside if you’d prefer.” Her eyes looked up to study his coal black ones, gleaming with worry. She knew it was worry over her. It hurt knowing it was.

”Okay.” 

Hades smiled at her, a sweet smile that made her heart ache. _He’s only trying to help_. She needed to let him help her. She trusted him. He could help her if she could just let him. 

Persephone stood up and put her glass down on the small table between them and stood up. “I’m gonna dress.” He grabbed her hand briefly and kissed her knuckles. “Love you.” The words made her feel more comfortable. Beautiful words. True words. “Love you,” she echoed, squeezing his hand weakly. 

She let go after a moment, then walked upstairs. The wood creaked under her feet rather loudly, but it didn’t make her jump much anymore. The wood was gorgeous. His whole house was from the old stained glass to the wood on the floors. 

The bedroom door creaked as it opened and Persephone’s eyes squinted from the overly bright sunlight peaking in from the window. She dropped her robe and walked to the vanity where she’d dropped her corset the night before. The sent of Hades’ cologne was strong in the room. She loved it. It was somewhere between her being starved for actual love even though Hades was right there to give it to her.

_Hades was right there._

Right there, grasping her hand. 

Persephone hissed at the sound of the carriages moving fast down the streets and the street screaming and running people pushing past them. That glass of gin wasn’t doing shit to suppress her hangover now, and the bitter wind wasn’t doing much to help it. 

Hades was tense, she could feel it in the way he held her arm. It made sense. The back allies always seemed to make him nervous. It was her world not his. The wind stung her cheeks Rosie but didn’t pass much through the heavy wool of the coat Hades had given her. It didn’t match her dress, and it was a damn good feeling to dress for practicality not fashion again. She didn’t even realize she missed it until now with her green print stockings and in her black long bodice and moth worn satin skirts with a heavy men’s brown wool coat. She was comfortable. Funny how much that was a luxury now. 

“Where does he live?” Hades hissed, whispering in her ear. “Just down a few more blocks.” She never made him come. He asked to come with her. Why was he upset if he chose to come?

”We’re getting a carriage to the park.” He grumbled and she rolled her eyes at it. Maybe it was the hangover, but his pristine likes were coming off prick-ish at the moment and she had no temper for it. And the park of all things, _his suggestion_ , was somewhere they could easily walk to from Apollo’s apartment.

Hades grumbled every couple of minutes, but she ignored it in favor of trying to spot the building. They were all brick, falling apart, and a deep clayish color. His was the fifth down on Helios, apartment six on the ninth floor.

_One._

Hades grabbed her hand tighter as they passed a few men gathered together on the street sneering. 

_Two._

Persephone felt a tugging at her skirt and looked down to see a little girl staring at her wide eyed. She knelt to the girl and pulled her hand from hades’. “Hi sweetie.” Her voice was soft and the girl quickly let go of her skirt and skittered back a few steps. 

”H-hello miss. I’m sorry. You just look pretty. I’m sorry.” The girl whispered, twiddling with her hands. “Please don’t tell on me.” A part of Persephone’s heart tugged for her.

”Ya aren’t in trouble honey. Just don’t go tuggin’ on other women’s skirts, they might not be nice ‘bout it.” 

The little girl nodded and scurried off, and Hades tugged Persephone’s arm to help her up. “You’re good with children.” Hades grumbled, kissing her head when she was close enough. 

”If just being nice counts as being good then our world ain’t worth shit.” 

”Ain’t that true.”

A certain warmth spread across her chest, and it traveled down her spine. It felt odd. Hades was warm. Love was warm. Maybe it was him. _Maybe it was just the coat._

_Three._

”This it?” Hades asked, groaning slightly. “No. Just be patient, lover.” 

”I am patient.”

“Yeah, ‘n I’m drunk.” She wished she was drunk. She hissed, teasing him somewhere between being annoyed and thankful. He may be annoying right now, but he was safe and he loved her. He’d never hurt her. Hades loved her.

“You aren’t drunk. You had one glass of gin.” 

”No shit Hades.” 

”Are you angry with me?” Hades asked, his tone so broke it made her stop dead. a rose caught in the night’s winter frost. 

”N-No I’m not.” Persephone stumbled on her words, dropping her gaze to the ground. 

_Four_

Her lover gently traced her jutting out cheek bone and she shivered from his touch. There was no shudder anymore. Then they began walking again, her head leaning slightly on his shoulder.

_Five._

”We’re here.” 

Persephone rolled her eyes at the way her lover exhaled, his nose raising ever so slightly. “He lives here?” He grumbled, her arm sliding out from his to grab the door handle. “Ninth floor, six to the left.” The door stuck from the frost but after a struggle it popped open. Their breath showed inside the building. Colder inside then outside. Her place tended to be the same. Landlords didn’t have money to waste to heat the building so ya’d pay yourself or keep your coals hot on the stove. 

There was a few women sitting on the stairs and kids playing on the first floor hall. A small smirk tugged at her lips as they passed the children, which didn’t last long because Hades was tugging her up the stairs as quick as it seemed he could walk up them. A dramatic man he was proving to be. 

And for some reason it only made her love him more.

————————-

Hades hated waiting. His head was nagging about his plan, and specifically the part of it he was about to enact. 

Their carriage lurched forward, and Persephone’s hand gripped his tighter. She felt so fragile in his arms. It was both heartbreaking and infuriating at the same time. It wouldn’t be for long though, if everything went right. Which he prayed it would. 

A white sort of sunlight shown in the carriage’s partly covered windows, illuminating Persephone in it’s light. She was breathe taking, laying against the carriage wall with her curls astray from the wind outside. _Absolutely stunning._

A squint through the frost tainted windows proved they were close to the park and his heart rate shot up. The skin under his gloves got so hot and sweaty, it almost felt like it might seep through them. 

He was doing this for the right reasons.

The little voice deep inside saying he wasn’t was almost entirely muffled by now, just loud enough to make him doubt the thing resting in his coat pocket and the hidden plan attached to it. 

The whine of the horses got louder and they skidded to a stop. 

”Hades can ya get the door?” Persephone asked, perching up in her seat again. His lips pressed on her knuckles briefly before prying open the frosted shut door and stepping out. He offered his hand again and she took it.

_You’re doing this for the right reasons._

It was awfully loud in the park, and much more crowded then he’d originally thought it would be. It would have to work anyway. He couldn’t afford for it not to. 

”Seph, I wanna show you something.” 

”Lead the way lover.”

A few feet into the snowy park was a small patch of red flowers. He didn’t know their name. He only knew that they bloomed in the dead of winter and they fit his purpose for them. 

Persephone stopped dead in her tracks, and he watched her gaze move to the flowers. A broad grin spread on her face which only made his heart lurch more. 

”They’re beautiful.” Her voice wasnt heavier then a whisper. The leather of his glove touched the silver of the small thing in his pocket. “Ain’t what I wanted to show ya.” Hades drawled, heart practically shoved in his throat. He held out his hand, opening it to reveal part of his plan sitting in his palm. 

His woman in her natural elegance turned to look at him with brows raised. Persephone’s face morphed into something he’d never seen before.

In his hand sat a silver engagement ring with a diamond adoring the center front. 

”Hades.... _Hades_ ,” Was she crying? “Hades you know we can’t.” 

“Maybe not now. When he’s gone we can. When he’s gone Imma give you that flower shop you said you wanted. When he’s gone I’m gonna make you my wife if you let me.” 

” _Hades._ ”

“Don’t have to be now but let me promise. I will love you until the end of time.”

Tears poured down her face and suddenly the guilt made him sick. _Was this for the right reasons?_

”When he’s gone I wanna be your wife. Promise, I promise.” 


	23. chandelier

The club was a buzzing rumor mill. 

And _that_ wasn’t the three glasses of absinthe talking.

” _Isn’t it a coincidence?_ ”

” _There’s no doubt, Persephone is just too blind to see it!_ “

” _Of course Hades did it._ ”

Persephone bit the inside of her cheek and swallowed back her glass. A hand grasped tightly on her shoulder under the fabric of her chemise. She could feel the other’s eyes burning into her back. There was a labor in Ares’ breath, which made damn sense considering the awful shape that bastard was in. 

The details of injury had been kept tight and she hadn’t pried. The only thing she felt even slightly horrible about was the fact that he was still sitting there with his hand on her shoulder and not six feet underground. 

That and the fact the entire damn world was saying Hades did it.

But he didn’t. He wouldn’t. He wouldn’t risk them, _her._ They had a plan. She had a ring tucked under her chemise on a silver chain giving her a shiver every few minutes as a reminder of their plan. Their future. He wouldn’t fuck with their chances. 

_Maybe you don’t know him as well as you thought, diamond._

Another word from the buzzing crowds reached close enough to hear.

Eurydice.

Coughing echoed in the buzz of the stage, followed by Eurydice’s hacking so graphically pronounced you could practically hear the blood coming splattering. She shouldn’t be here. At very least, she should be next to her, holding her hand. Eurydice only got out of hospital days ago. They couldn’t do anything. They’d _said_ they couldn’t do anything. She needed to see her. Gods why couldn’t she just leave Ares? He’d hurt her if she tried. She couldn’t see Eurydice if she was dead. 

The raven girl had gone so pale she stood out horribly against the dark bricks. She clutched a cream blanket, dark crimson stained on it in random splatters. She shouldn’t be here. The bird should be somewhere nice. Dying somewhere nice. Not on the floor of the club. It was wrong. It sparked a fury in the older woman’s blood. She was supposed to be the dying rose, she fucking deserved everything she got. Eurydice deserved to live. 

Burning forbidden drunk tears threatened to burn down her face watching Eurydice struggle. Then watching Orpheus stutter nervously, very obviously looking for comfort she wasn’t allowed to give him. A damn mess she’s in. Only her fault. It was her fault. She made the mess. She signed herself into it. It’d kill her, she could feel it. 

” _¡atención, Atención,_ attention!” 

The entire room fell silent and snapped attention to Dionysus’ pet dance instructor shoving Orpheus onto the stage. Her nephew was shaking, most likely from nerves. Poor boy. His eyes darted around and she could feel his land on her. His mistake really. She wasn’t good for a quick glance of confidence but she tried for him. A small encouraging smile fell dead on her lips though when Ares dug his fingers in her shoulder blade. 

Fuck, it hurt. 

”Ares please you’re-“ Her voice was barely a whisper. She didn’t need anyone to hear her. No more people knowing. Especially not the gossips who think hades did this. Made Ares so full of rage that he took it out a little harder on her. All the morphine they put him on didn’t seem to do shit to stop him. 

”Hush flower.” Ares hissed his breath seething on her neck, making Persephone recoil. There was a seething feeling starting to boil in this _flowers_ veins. 

”Speak _chico_!” The Argentinian woman hissed, tapping on Orpheus’ shoulder to shove him forward.

Persephone mimed taking a breath as movelessly as she could as her nephew’s gaze landed on her. If she moved too much Ares would notice, and that would be even worse.

”Uh-Uh...could we run the masquerade scene again please? From the opening.” Orpheus stuttered, sending a murmur through the crowd as people took their last drinks from the sea of passed around liquor bottles and rose in flocks. A flock of song birds, is what they looked like. Small and dark with a hum of bliss in their throats. Ares’ grip suddenly disappeared from her shoulder. 

This bird wasnt caged anymore.

For now at least.

Timothy, who was currently filling in for the role of the gangster, waved awkwardly at her as he stood. He was the third man to take the role. The other two had been so grasiously dismissed from the roll by mister fucking almighty duke who thought they had been, _too dry_. 

Pretentious prick.

Persephone rose, bones crackling uncomfortably, and her ribs groaned in protest from the move. At least the new corset Hades bought her didn’t have a steaming vengeance against her chemise and a desire to pierce her ribcage open. 

The door to the back of the club squeaked open and heavy footsteps followed. Familiar footsteps. The slight jangle of the pocket watch she closed her eyes and could hear whether it was really there or not. 

The footsteps stopped and a chair dragged out against the carpet. Then the cause of the noises sat with a practical whisper of a creak from the cushioned chair that was kept on the back tables cause it was either broke or torn in the padding.

_Creak._

She’d wager this was the one with two screws missing and half rot wood. 

The chair Hades tended to choose when he knew Ares was there. So she’d know it was him without having to look.

His gaze was hot, lingering on her back for a little too long for it to be anyone else. Ares never lingered his eyes on anything below the bustline. 

The others finished getting to their places, but damn it felt more strenuous to walk the few steps to center stage then it was to memorize all of Orpheus’ last minute changes. Both were horrible. Both happened anyways. 

”Strings please.” Orpheus meekly said, his gaze still lingering on Persephone for comfort that she could feel through that built up old exterior she’d built up quick. An encouraging smile plastered itself despite the pain it wrought. 

The overly dramatic strings cued for the scene.

”Prosperina, you turn from me as if you loathe me!” Timothy spat, a stealing staged grip on her wrist.

“I turn from myself! I loathe my being, this dreadful circle ‘a wait I remain embroiled upon.” 

“Lest you not forget, you are mine. You belong to me.” 

Persephone shivered. The way the boy said the line was practically her abusers echo.

Timothy grasped her arm again, tugging her dramatically closer. The grip landed on a specific muscle that bruised slightly on touch, but allowed her to teeter back a little with a grip against falling. A stage move that Dio’s little pet dance instructor had taught for the tango. It worked in this context too. What was one more bruise anyway? Didn’t have to cover this one. 

”Or taste my _razor_!” Persephone dramatically gasped as Timothy brandished a small piece of wood that would soon be replaced with a prop razor. Like most of the props and costumes, it wasn’t finished yet. 

“Don’t you think that’s a bit, well, _much?_ “ 

Oh for fucks sake.

The strings halted and an echoing groan vibrated among the company. Her poor nephew was wide-eyed, twitching his fingers. Nervous boy. Couldn’t blame him for being scared of Ares.

“E-Excuse me?” His stutter made her heart ache to hug him. 

But something much nicer was drawing her attention.

Hues flicked to Hades while the conversion escalated loudly, but in a way where the words weren’t quite making it into ears due to the distraction and the cat-like grin spreading across her lips.

Hades’ eyes locked Persephone’s and he tapped his chest, nothing there but she repeated it where there most definitely was _something_ there. The engagement ring stung cold as it pressed onto the sweating skin under her chemise. If it was obvious she shivered, she didn’t give a fuck. It was electrifying. It was _her_ ring, her engagement, her fucking happy future that was well deserved! Ares be damned, when it was over she’d be married to the man who loves her and she could finally leave. Take her family with her on her way out.

“.....I Am a duke, boy! My word is law!”

What the hell? 

Something cold grasped her shoulder, yanking her backwards.

The cold hand turned to be Afra, pulling her almost unfeeling back with the others as everyone seemed to have done as Ares and Orpheus were the only ones on center stage now.

It didn’t feel like she was in her body much when Ares was there. Didn’t need to be. Everything already hurt, more on that meant nothing. It only felt like something when Persephone washed over each bruise carefully with a cloth like she was a girl who skinned her knees running too fast and was being patched by her mama again. Only felt alive when fire ignited the blood resting in her veins against the beast of a man.

”Seph, you good?” Afra whispered, a furrow that almost looked guilty gracing the young girl’s brow. Swear they’d all get lines like she had if they kept doing that over her.

”Afra shut up!” One of the closer girls hissed in a whisper and Persephone followed the gaze of all the other preformers back to the two men center stage. Orpheus’ mouth hung slightly open, and she _knew_ the slight tremble in his bottom lip. He was going to speak. _Fuck. Fuck. Fuck._

”Y-Your word means nothing.” 

Terror gripped almost strangulating at her heart. The duke stepped forward. Persephone braced her feet to lunge out of Afra’s grip if she had to. 

The chair in the audience creaked.

”Excuse me boy?”

”I think that’s enough poet.”

Hades’ voice boomed from the center aisle. It was thunder cracking in a summer storm. 

Something about his tone made her stomach churn.

Ares’ face changed to something implacable. Almost smug, almost contempt. Something frightening and skin crawling. A smirk that felt like a hundred knives.

”See, we, your investors, are in agreement. Shut your mouth boy.” 

The duke sneered, and it was almost reflected onto Hades. 

Suddenly the electric jolt of life against her chest was something else. Something sick and rotten. Who the fuck were they to speak like that to the boy.

“W-We....”orpheus shut his mouth and closed his eyes. The way her brother’d taught him to mange his stutter. _Smart boy._ If she didn’t know what he was doing it might’ve looked like he was preparing for a fight. “We live in a republic. I have no reason to fear you. I am an artist. You shouldn’t reprimand my art. You both should tremble at it.”

Shit.

Before realizing Persephone lunged forward, a sharp pain tingling across her face almost immediately. _What- oh._

Her left hand was pressed against her nephew’s shoulder as she stood between him and the hand with Ares’ gentleman’s club ring on his index finger that had almost hit Orpheus. Her jaw ached and her hand was met with something warm and drizzling. Blood. He hit her. And Ares hit hard. 

Her eyes trailed to her other side, watching her horror-striken poet with eyes like a doe and a grip on her hand stronger then steel. It would’ve been him. If she hadn’t been fast enough it would’ve been him bleeding. Suddenly fear and loathing of the man behind her and the violence boiled out of her blood. The hot bile was momentarily gone. Ares didn’t matter right now. 

“Im okay sugar.” Persephone said, a sharp pain moving up her jaw with each syllable. Orpheus stutters, but she quietly shushed him with a gentle hand on his cheek. “It’s okay.” 

She watched the falling songbird rise from her crimson soaked corner and begin walking over. The girl could barely move. It hurt Persephone just to watch. It tore at her heart to look at the raven’s parchment thin skin. It looked like it was eating her alive, consumption. She didn’t look this bad before the hospital. _She had more time before._

That skin and bone girl limping towards them didn’t have time. 

”Orpheus.” 

”E-E..E-E...”

Persephone quick wiped her cheek and steered Orpheus with a hand on his lower back towards Eurydice, catching the girl mid-stumble with her other arm when they neared. She was cold to the touch. Too cold. She’d thought you got a fever when you had consumption this bad, not that you went corpse cold. Supposed she was wrong.

Weight shifted until the songbird lay flat against her chest with the poet nestled next to her, supporting her but still shaking more vigorous then a leaf in a summer storm. Or maybe that was Persephone, she couldn’t tell.

The sting on her cheek only got worse as the adrenaline died down. She could feel the warmth of the blood trickle down her face and the red hot handprint along with the reigniting of hatred in her blood.

Hades.

He stood at the end of the stage and her eyes locked on his with a deep seething glare. He could’ve done something. How dare he agree with Ares, fuck hiding their affair, he could’ve said something. _Or at very least her fiancé could be up here wiping the blood off her face!_

The stage was filled with the buzz of chatter again, none of it legible from her spot holding her family in the center of it but one thing was clear, Ares’ voice wasn’t one of them. In fact, his bandaged hobbling form wasn’t anywhere there. There where scuffs where he had stood though. Maybe she missed him screaming and leaving? Was it even possible to miss something so loud?

Oh no.

Dionysus shuffled towards her, a look so both heart broken and furious on his face he looked like he might tear her head off. _No, No,_

”Persephone! You need to fix this. Before he pulls out you need to fucking fix this mess.”

She could feel Eurydice grasping her waist tighter.

_“you ain’t dying before me, seph.”_

”Didn’t you see that Dio? He’ll kill me if I go now.” She hissed, casting a glance over to hades, who stood staring the same as before. 

How awful was it that those words felt like fact? 

Ares’ temper was always bad, but now with the pain he was in he might do it. He might actually do it. There would be nothing anyone could do, not even hades the way he was right now. 

”I said you have to fix it. Didn’t say now.” 

Dionysus knelt beside her, and this seemed to be the heartbreak in his eyes. Persephone recoiled slightly at his touch, fingertips stining ice cold against the warmth all too unnatural too be skin. It was blood. He was wiping it away with his ice cold hands. That is what old friends would do. Supposed they still got to be old friends even with how it was now. He was forcing her tighter on Ares for a reason, she knew it. She knew their contacts, she knew their bosses. It wasn’t his doing he was just easy to hate for it. 

Hate was a damn strong word though. 

———————

”Persephone!” 

No. why had he been so stupid? 

” _Persephone!_ ”

Everything had gone so, _so_ wrong. Ares was supposed to be dead. He was supposed to have been alone when the plan happened. Why didn’t Hades factor in a bodyguard? 

He wasn’t dead. For fucks sake he just slapped Persephone forty minutes ago in front of everyone. And he stood there like a complete idiot. How could she ever forgive him? He swore it would all be over. That she’d be safe. 

Why did she have to get in front of Orpheus? Why the fuck did that boy have to open his damn mouth again? If he listened to him nothing would’ve happened. 

_Why did you freeze up?_

Persephone disappeared out the stage door as he called for her. Of course she wouldn’t want to see him. He just stood and let her get hurt. It was unforgivable. _He had to see her._

”Hades!” 

dozens of the girls who performed with Persephone blocked the door in commotion and Hades tried to shove past them. He needed to see her before she could leave. Gods only know what Ares would do now. She’d said he’d kill her. She told everyone he would kill her. Why wasn’t anyone else trying to help her? Didn’t anyone here give a shit? 

”Hades!” Two arms yanked Hades back, turning out to be that tall boy who worked the bar and was in the play and another boy who used to have the part of the play the tall one had now. The voice wasn’t either of theirs though. Dionysus was a safe distance away. _That bastard._

Rage simmered in Hades’ blood and he snarled at Dionysus, almost as an animal chained back would his keeper.

“Now Hades, relax. Our girls just blowing off steam, eh? Giver ‘er an hour or so. I mean, she can’t be hold up in her dressing room all night, the show starts at half past nine.”

“Bullshit! You sent her out with him,” Hades spat, “you watched him fucking hurt her and you sent her out after him.” 

”See, that’s where you’re wrong. You may think you know everything but while you were just standing there in la la land, I told her to just leave him be. Now fucking relax and just give her a damn minute.”

Was that true?

As if cued, the boys let go and one of the girls Persephone worked with, _Kimberly_ maybe, came over with what Hades could recognize as the crude oil-like absinthe he abd persephone had shared at that one party downtown. Fuck. That had been months ago. It felt like days. Or years. Both, maybe. It was like he’d loved her forever and newly both the same. 

_You really think she’ll still love you?_

“Give me a damn glass.”

_You didn’t protect her._

”Do you know the powers of absinthe, Hades? They say it can make a drab man a poet. A visionary.” Dionysus mused, pouring between their glasses and among the now flocked crowd of performers who’d heard the cork pop. Like damn sheep to a shepherd. 

Hades bit the inside of his cheek and drained the small glass.

_You only made it worse._

He did. He made it worse. So much worse. How could everything go so horribly? 

More green liquor refilled in the glass. Hades didn’t hear the words whispered to the girl holding the bottle from Dionysus. 

_”Keep his glass full._

There was a plan, he’d had a plan. Ares died in a ‘mugging’, then he and Persephone could live out their lives happily. He’d move her out of that dirt apartment, not that she was in it much anymore, and fully into his home. She could open that flower shop she’d told him about so long ago. There’d be no more men, no more shows, no more downtown. She was supposed to be safe with him. 

He had none of that now.

Hades took a drink but it didn’t seem to make an indent on his glass, ‘cause looking down again it full. It reminded him of Persephone. It smelled like Persephone. Persephone. He loves persephone, her beautiful eyes, curly hair, honey skin......he could almost feel persephone.

a laugh echoed in his ear.

”Seph?” Hades slurred, spinning around to feel the cold splash of his drink hit his shirt and something green flicker past his eyes. 

Persephone’s green fae perhaps.

He turned to follow the bright green light, squinting.

It looked like a fairy. Or a woman. The thing lifted its head and stepped closer.

_Persephone._

She was beautiful.

Her curls were piled up on her head, and she glowed. Did she always look like a fairy though? Maybe he just never noticed. 

Her hands rested on his chest, gloved with diamonds and silk gloves fastened at her middle finger. Their ring graced her ring finger. She was his. His fiancée. His beautiful glowing fiancée tracing her hand onto his cheek in the most delectable of motions.

”I love you.” He whispered, knocking back to rest of his glass to set it down. She didn’t speak, only lingered, now pressing something like a kiss to his cheek. 

Then she wasn’t. 

Hades startled, reaching out to touch her cheek to have his hand grabbed gently. A wide grin spread across her face.

”Come find me.”

The glowing fae of Persephone pulled away, her glowing form disappearing behind other people. He jumped up, head spinning, and ran after, shoving through everyone in the way. He needed Persephone. She couldn’t leave him. 

He raced after the green shadow and occasional echoing laugh all the way outside into the brisk cold of snow falling. She vanished into thin air.

Ares. 

There was a new plan.

Hades shuffled into the snowy street, staggering a bit more then helpful for walking.

He was going to get her back. 


End file.
